PRECEDENTS Meaning and
Definition
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Precedents are legal or historical examples that serve as a reference or guide for how similar cases or situations should be handled or judged. They are established or recorded decisions reached in past court cases, administrative rulings, or legislative actions that can be used as a basis for interpreting and deciding on current or future cases with similar issues or circumstances. Precedents are crucial in the common law system, where courts often rely on past decisions to ensure consistency and predictability in the application of law.
These legal precedents can come from various sources, such as landmark court rulings, statutes, regulations, or legal opinions issued by higher-ranking courts. They provide a framework for interpreting statutes or regulations, as well as for making legal arguments and presenting evidence in court.
Beyond the legal realm, precedents can also refer to historical events, actions, or achievements that have established a standard or point of reference for subsequent similar events or developments. In this broader context, precedents can influence a wide range of fields, like science, technology, politics, or social movements. For example, scientific discoveries or breakthroughs can set precedents for further research and development, or historical movements can serve as precedents for future activist campaigns.
In summary, precedents are legal or historical examples that guide decision-making by providing a reference point for how similar cases or situations should be treated, helping to ensure consistency and fairness in the application of law and providing a basis for progress and development in various fields.
Top Common Misspellings for PRECEDENTS *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for PRECEDENTS
Etymology of PRECEDENTS
The word "precedents" comes from the Latin word "praecedens", which is the present participle of "praecedere". "Praecedere" is composed of two Latin roots: "prae", meaning "before", and "cedere", meaning "to go, to yield". The combination of these roots gives "praecedere" the meaning "to go before, to precede". Through the evolution of the Latin word, "praecedens" eventually became "precedent" in Middle English, and later transformed into "precedents" in modern English.
Similar spelling words for PRECEDENTS
- precedentedly,
- precede,
- precedential,
- procedure,
- precedence,
- prichett,
- pricket,
- precedent,
- president,
- practised,
- practiced,
- precedented,
- preceding,
- proceeds,
- precedency,
- prickett,
- presidentship,
- proceed.
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