American Government / Unit 9 Gov 425 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Precedent
Captions available
The idea
Precedent is the principle that earlier rulings guide and bind later ones — higher courts' decisions steering the whole system.
In practice
Reliance on precedent gives unelected courts their consistency, and consistency their legitimacy.
Where people slip
Precedent binds until overruled — Plessy stood for fifty-eight years, then Brown replaced it.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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