Judicial Precedents

Judicial precedents are legal decisions made by courts that serve as a guide for future cases with similar facts. When a higher court, like a supreme or appellate court, rules on a case, that ruling establishes a principle or standard. Lower courts are generally expected to follow these precedents to ensure consistency, fairness, and stability in the law. This system helps predict how laws are applied and ensures that similar cases are treated similarly over time. Essentially, precedents create a body of legal examples that influence future judicial decisions.