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Precedent for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'prɛsɪdənt

What does Precedent really mean?

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Hey there, my friend! Let's talk about the word "precedent." I'm here to help you understand it in the easiest way possible, so don't worry if you find it challenging – we'll break it down together, step by step.

So, imagine you're going on a road trip to a place you've never been before. You'd naturally want to know the best route to take, right? Well, a "precedent" is kind of like a road map or guide for making decisions. It helps us choose the best way to do something based on how it has been done before. It's like looking at examples or patterns we can follow to make better choices.

Now, let's understand this with another example. Have you ever played a video game? You know how in some games, you encounter certain obstacles or enemies over and over again? To overcome them, you might learn from your previous attempts, remember what worked and what didn't, and use that knowledge to your advantage the next time you face a similar challenge. Well, that's just like how "precedents" work!

When we talk about "precedent" in a legal sense, it means using past court cases or decisions as examples to guide current and future choices in courts. It's like when a judge comes across a new case that is similar to one that has already been decided in the past. Instead of starting from scratch, the judge looks at the previous rulings to see how similar situations were handled before. By doing this, they can make fair and consistent decisions based on what has already been established.

To put it simply, "precedent" means using past experiences, examples, or patterns to help us make better choices or decisions. It's like having a guidebook that shows us the best way to do something based on what has worked before. And when it comes to the law, it means using previous court cases as examples to guide current and future decisions.

So, my friend, now that we've explored the word "precedent" together, I hope it's a little bit clearer for you. Remember, learning is a journey, and we're all here to support you every step of the way!


Revised and Fact checked by Michael Davis on 2023-10-28 15:57:05

Precedent In a sentece

Learn how to use Precedent inside a sentece

  • When you ask your parents if you can stay up past bedtime and they say no, that sets a precedent for future nights.
  • If someone breaks a rule at school and gets in trouble, it becomes a precedent for other students not to break the rule.
  • If a teacher allows a student to retake a test because they were sick, it creates a precedent for other students in similar situations.
  • When a student gets a high score on a project, it sets a precedent for other students to aim for the same level of achievement.
  • If a company gives their employees paid vacation days, it can set a precedent for other companies to do the same.

Precedent Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

case in point case in point case law case law case law case law common law common law common law common law

Precedent Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

civil law civil law example example illustration illustration instance instance jurisprudence jurisprudence law law representative representative subject subject theme theme topic topic

Precedent Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.

preceding preceding

Precedent Category

The domain category to which the original word belongs.

civil law civil law jurisprudence jurisprudence law law

Precedent Has Categories

Categories of the original word.

service service