What term describes the principle that decisions today are based largely on past rulings?

What term describes the principle that decisions today are based largely on past rulings?

• A. Judicial activism
• B. Originalism
• C. Legal realism
• D. Stare decisis

Answer: (D)

Stare decisis, the practice of following precedent, is the idea that decisions today are based largely on past rulings. This keeps the legal system stable and predictable: when a court confronts a case with similar facts, it usually applies the same rule that was used before. It isn’t a rigid rule, though—the law can adapt if a higher court overturns a prior decision or if the facts aren’t truly comparable. Other terms describe different approaches: judicial activism involves shaping policy through court decisions, originalism looks to interpreting the Constitution as it was understood at the founding, and legal realism emphasizes how real-world factors influence judicial outcomes rather than strict adherence to earlier rulings.

Stare decisis, the practice of following precedent, is the idea that decisions today are based largely on past rulings. This keeps the legal system stable and predictable: when a court confronts a case with similar facts, it usually applies the same rule that was used before. It isn’t a rigid rule, though—the law can adapt if a higher court overturns a prior decision or if the facts aren’t truly comparable. Other terms describe different approaches: judicial activism involves shaping policy through court decisions, originalism looks to interpreting the Constitution as it was understood at the founding, and legal realism emphasizes how real-world factors influence judicial outcomes rather than strict adherence to earlier rulings.