Precedential Authority

Precedential authority refers to the legal principle that courts are expected to follow previous decisions—especially those from higher courts—when making rulings on similar issues. This creates consistency and stability in the law. For example, when a Supreme Court rules on a specific legal question, lower courts are generally bound to follow that decision in future cases involving the same issue. However, courts can sometimes distinguish or overrule prior decisions if they believe circumstances have changed or the previous ruling was incorrect. Overall, precedential authority helps ensure predictable and fair application of the law.