stare decisis

Definition

The legal doctrine requiring courts to follow precedents set by previous decisions, Latin for 'to stand by things decided.' It's why lawyers obsessively cite old cases and why bad precedents haunt us for generations.

Example Usage

The appellate court reluctantly followed the binding precedent under the principle of stare decisis, despite finding the prior ruling illogical.

Origin

Latin phrase meaning 'to stand by things decided,' from the fuller phrase 'stare decisis et non quieta movere' (stand by decisions and do not disturb the undisturbed)

Fun Fact

The Supreme Court can overrule its own precedents, which is how landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education reversed earlier decisions.

Source: Common law doctrine and judicial opinions across Anglo-American legal systems

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