Definition of precedents Precedents

/pɹɛˈsʌdʌnts/ - [presudunts] -

We found 3 definitions of precedents from 2 different sources.

What does precedents mean?

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Noun Plural: precedents
precedent - a subject mentioned earlier (preceding in time)
		topic, theme, subject some situation or event that is thought about; "he kept drifting off the topic"; "he had been thinking about the subject for several years"; "it is a matter for the police"
precedent - an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
		case in point
		instance, illustration, representative, example a visual representation (a picture or diagram) that is used make some subject more pleasing or easier to understand
precedent - (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
		case law, common law
		civil law the body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation
		civil law the body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation
precedent - a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws; "common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States"
		common law, case law
		jurisprudence, law the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do
Adjective
precedent - preceding in time, order, or significance
		preceding existing or coming before

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precedent (Noun)
An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.
precedent (Noun)
A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.
precedent (Noun)
The previous version.
precedent (Noun)
A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.
precedent (Verb)
To provide precedents for.
precedent (Verb)
To be a precedent for.
precedent (Adjective)
Happening or taking place earlier in time; previous or preceding.

precedent (a.)
Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.
precedent (n.)
Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.
precedent (n.)
A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign.
precedent (n.)
A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.
precedent (n.)
A judicial decision which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; an authority to be followed in courts of justice; forms of proceeding to be followed in similar cases.

precedent
A legal case establishing a principle or rule that a court may need to adopt when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts.

precedent
Any act which can be interpreted into an example for future times, is called a precedent. Persons in high office are extremely scrupulous with respect to precedents, especially in military matters.

In law, a precedent or authority is a legal case that established a principle or rule that a court may need to adopt when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts.

The term may also refer to the collective body of case law that a court should consider when interpreting the law. When a precedent establishes an important legal principle, or represents new or changed law on a particular issue, that precedent is often known as a "landmark decision".

Precedent is very important in a fair legal system because it can allow the law to be enforced equally to all cases. For example, if a person crashes a car because they are drunk, the resulting court case will set a "precedent" for all similar cases. If a later case has a different result, the precedent may be changed. If we did not have this system, then it is likely that the law would not be fairly enforced.