Understanding Precedents in Law

Precedent refers to a legal principle or decision that serves as an example or guide for deciding similar cases in the future. In other words, it is a previous case or ruling that is used as a basis for deciding a current case.

Precedents can be binding or persuasive. Binding precedents are those that must be followed by lower courts and other tribunals within a particular jurisdiction. Persuasive precedents, on the other hand, are not legally binding but may be considered by judges when making decisions in similar cases.

The concept of precedent is an important part of common law legal systems, where judges are bound by prior decisions made by higher courts in their jurisdiction. In civil law systems, however, precedents may have less significance and judges may have more discretion to decide cases based on their own interpretation of the law.