What are legal precedents?

Legal precedents refer to judicial decisions that serve as an authoritative rule for future similar cases. This concept is a fundamental principle in the common law system, where past rulings made by judges set a framework for how similar cases should be handled in the future. Precedents ensure consistency and predictability in the application of the law, allowing courts to rely on established interpretations and rulings when resolving new disputes that share comparable legal issues.

When a court follows a precedent, it reinforces the idea that the legal system is stable and that parties can anticipate how laws will be applied based on previous judgments. This principle is known as "stare decisis," which means "to stand by things decided." In cases where there isn't a clear precedent, courts may establish new legal rules or reconsider existing ones, but they still do so in the context of the principles laid out in prior decisions.

The other choices, such as agreements made between parties, legal documents filed in court, or statutes enacted by the legislature, do not capture the essence of legal precedents. Instead, they refer to different aspects of legal practice, such as contracts, court filings, and legislation, respectively. In summary, legal precedents play a vital role in shaping the law through the careful