A precedent is something that precedes, or comes before. The Supreme Court relies on precedents—that is, earlier laws or decisions that provide some example or rule to guide them in the case they're actually deciding.

What is an example of precedent?

The definition of precedent is a decision that is the basis or reason for future decisions. An example of precedent is the legal decision in Brown v. Board of Education guiding future laws about desegregation. ... (law) A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.

What does it mean if something is precedent?

Precedent refers to a court decision that is considered as authority for deciding subsequent cases involving identical or similar facts, or similar legal issues. ... Precedent is generally established by a series of decisions. Sometimes, a single decision can create precedent.