A precedent is something that precedes, or comes before. The Supreme Court relies on precedents—that is, earlier laws or decisions that provide some example or rule to guide them in the case they're actually deciding.

What is an example of precedent?

The definition of precedent is a decision that is the basis or reason for future decisions. An example of precedent is the legal decision in Brown v. Board of Education guiding future laws about desegregation. ... (law) A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.

What does it mean if something is precedent?

Precedent refers to a court decision that is considered as authority for deciding subsequent cases involving identical or similar facts, or similar legal issues. ... Precedent is generally established by a series of decisions. Sometimes, a single decision can create precedent.

What is meaning of precedent in law?

A precedent is a statement of law found in the decision of a superior Court, which decision has to be followed by that court and by the courts inferior to it. ... A judicial precedent is a decision of the Court used as a source for future decision making.

How do you use the word precedent?

Precedent in a Sentence ?

1. The judges had no precedent to review before making their decision on the controversial case.
2. When the court voted in favor of same-sex marriage, it had no idea of the precedent it was setting for future generations.

What is PRECEDENT? What does PRECEDENT mean? PRECEDENT meaning, definition & explanation

29 related questions found

What does no precedent mean?

When something contradicts an established precedent or prevailing custom or practice, it is said to "break with precedent" or "go against precedent." Another common collocation is "without precedent" in reference to something not supported by a prior example or ruling.

What does past precedent mean?

More specifically, you should only use the term "past precedents" if you are referring to more than one "previously decided cases that guide the decision of a future case." Therefore, "past precedent" (referring to a single guiding case) is more common that "past precedents" (multiple guiding cases).

Has there a precedent?

Meaning of precedent in English. an action, situation, or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made: ... The court's decision has set a legal precedent. This decision set an important legal precedent for other countries.

What is the synonym of precedent?

In this page you can discover 31 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for precedent, like: decision, criterion, ruling, model, antecedent, earlier, pattern, standard, exemplar, instance and authoritative example.

Can I take precedence?

: to be more important (than something else) When it comes to making health care decisions, the patient's preference should take precedence. —often + over The safety of the children has/takes precedence over everything else.

What is a precedent argument?

Arguments from precedent and analogy are two central forms of reasoning found in many legal systems, especially 'Common Law' systems such as those in England and the United States. Precedent involves an earlier decision being followed in a later case because both cases are the same.

What is the opposite of precedent?

precedent. Antonyms: subsequent, posterior, inter. Synonyms: anterior, prior, earlier.

What is a better word for Which?

In this page you can discover 23 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for which, like: that, and which, and-that, what, whichever, who, whatever, thus, therefore, for-which and so-that.

What do you mean by precedent in family law?

A precedent is a statement made of the law by a Judge in deciding a case. ... This means that when judges try cases they must check to see if similar cases have been tried by a court previously. If there was a precedent set by an equal or superior court, then a judge should obey that precedent.

What is the plural of precedent?

precedent /ˈprɛsədənt/ noun. plural precedents. precedent. /ˈprɛsədənt/ plural precedents.

What is the suffix of precedent?

In law, a precedent is a legal decision that is used as a standard in future cases. So the adjective unprecedented, meaning "having no precedent," was formed from the prefix un- "not," the noun precedent, and the suffix –ed "having."

How do you use precedence in a sentence?

Precedence sentence example

1. The Mayor takes precedence over all except the Queen. ...
2. We gave only limited thought to the upcoming session as our pre wedding trip and plans took precedence in our hectic schedule. ...
3. The Social or matriarchal took precedence of the Local or patriarchal organization.

Can a precedent be overturned?

Overturning precedent

The U.S. Supreme Court and the state supreme courts set precedents which they and lower courts follow and resolve conflicting interpretations of law. Sometimes courts will choose to overturn precedent, rejecting a prior interpretation of the Constitution in favor of a new one.

Do runners idiom?

British, informal. : to leave a place quickly by running especially to avoid paying a bill or to escape punishment.

Who can make precedents?

Some of the rules that make up the doctrine of precedent are:

• a judge follows the law declared by judges in higher courts in the same jurisdiction in cases with similar facts.
• a court must give reasons for its decision in a case. ...
• most courts are not bound to follow their own earlier decisions although they often do.

Why do justices use precedents?

The Importance of Precedent. In a common law system, judges are obliged to make their rulings as consistent as reasonably possible with previous judicial decisions on the same subject. ... Each case decided by a common law court becomes a precedent, or guideline, for subsequent decisions involving similar disputes.

What are headnotes used for?

A headnote is a brief summary of a particular point of law that is added to the text of a court decision to aid readers in locating discussion of a legal issue in an opinion. As the term implies, headnotes appear at the beginning of the published opinion.

What is the meaning of order of precedence?

If one thing takes precedence over another, it is regarded as more important than the other thing.