A precedent is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is either binding on or persuasive without going to courts for a court or other tribunal when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts.

What does precedent mean in simple terms?

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 a precedent example?

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.