Why is stare decisis important and why does the law need to be flexible?

Asked by: Tessie Mayert  |  Last update: February 19, 2022
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Stare decisis is the principle that the Court's decision serves as a precedent for future cases that are similar. It is important because it makes the law predictable. ... On the other hand, the law also needs to be flexible and adaptable to changing times, social values and attitudes, and circumstances.

Why is stare decisis important in the law?

Stare decisis ensures that cases with similar scenarios and facts are approached in the same way. Simply put, it binds courts to follow legal precedents set by previous decisions.

Is stare decisis flexible?

Flexibility: Although stare decisis assumes that courts will generally follow precedents, the principle allows room to overturn prior decisions and make new precedents. This allows the law to evolve over time.

What is stare decisis and why is it important quizlet?

Stare decisis is a doctrine in which judges are obligated to follow the precedents established in prior decisions. In stare decisis, lower court must obey past decisions made by higher courts. This doctrine generally provides for fairness and consistency, which is important in ensuring everyone is treated equally.

What are the advantages of stare decisis?

An advantage of stare decisis is that it enables judges to reduce the uncertainty associated with making decisions. They can check their re- sults against the results reached by similar judges. It is easy to see that stare decisis can be extremely valuable to a legal system.

Stare Decisis: What Is Stare Decisis? [No. 86]

35 related questions found

What is stare decisis in law quizlet?

Stare Decisis. The doctrine by which judges are obligated to follow precedents established within a particular jurisdiction. Precedent. The authority afforded to a prior judicial decision by judges deciding subsequent disputes involving the same or similar facts and the same jurisdictions substantive law.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of stare decisis principle?

The advantage of the doctrine of precedent is that it provides certainty and predictability. The disadvantage, however, is that stare decisis can result in a lack of flexibility and an inability of the common law to adapt to changing moral, socio- economic, and political realities resulting in a static body of law.

What is stare decisis and why is it important and why does the law need to be flexible quizlet?

Why is stare decisis important, and why does the law need to be flexible? Stare decisis is the principle that the Court's decision serves as a precedent for future cases that are similar. It is important because it makes the law predictable.

What does the doctrine of stare decisis mean?

Stare decisis is the doctrine that courts will adhere to precedent in making their decisions. Stare decisis means “to stand by things decided” in Latin. ... The doctrine operates both horizontally and vertically. Horizontal stare decisis refers to a court adhering to its own precedent.

Does stare decisis means let the decision stand?

stare decisis, (Latin: “let the decision stand”), in Anglo-American law, principle that a question once considered by a court and answered must elicit the same response each time the same issue is brought before the courts. The principle is observed more strictly in England than in the United States.

Is stare decisis common law?

Stare decisis is a legal term that refers to the doctrine of precedent, well established in common law – court rulings being guided by previous judicial decisions. The term is derived from a Latin phrase that means “to stand by things decided” or “let the decision stand.”

Which of the following best explains the principle of stare decisis?

Which of the following best explains the principle of stare decisis? It encourages judges to follow precedent when deciding cases. In Baker v. Carr (1962), the Supreme Court ruled that a state legislature would have to redraw their representative districts in order to comply with the Constitution.

How stare decisis can be applied to the Criminal cases?

Stare decisis simply means that for the sake of certainty, a conclusion reached in one case should be applied to those that follow if the facts are substantially the same, even though the parties may be different.

What is the implication of stare decisis?

The doctrine of stare decisis makes the decisions of courts, usually the higher forums, binding on subordinate courts in cases in which similar or identical questions of law are raised before the court. The application of this doctrine ensures that there is uniformity and certainty in the law.

What is one of the advantages of stare decisis for judicial decision making?

What is one of the advantages of stare decisis for judicial decision making? It frees the Court to monitor closely those decisions that fail to follow precedent or are otherwise unresolved.

What role do stare decisis and precedent play in policy making?

Stare decisis thus establishes a strong presumption favoring adherence to precedent in order to maintain respect for the rule of law and cabin judicial discretion. Concluding that a prior decision may be wrong — even one that interprets the Constitution — is not enough to justify overruling it.

What is the doctrine of stare decisis discuss its relevance in the Indian legal system?

Stare Decisis is a Latin term which signifies To stand by decided cases or to uphold precedents or to maintain former adjudications. In India, the doctrine of stare decisis has been adopted through Article 141 of the Constitution, which declares that decisions of higher court are binding on subordinate courts.

What is the doctrine of stare decisis in the American legal system how is it applied and what is its effect quizlet?

A stare decisis is a common Law doctrine that makes judges follow the precedent established when making a decision. The two aspects of a stare decisis is that the judge should follow the precedents in making a decision unless given a reason not to do so, and decisions made in a higher court are binding on lower courts.

Why is the doctrine of stare decisis the cornerstone of American common law and what is its relationship to binding authority?

The doctrine of stare decisis means that courts look to past, similar issues to guide their decisions. ... Stare decisis is the doctrine that obligates courts to look to precedent when making their decisions. These two principles allow American law to build case-by-case, and make our legal system a common law system.

What is the doctrine of stare decisis in South Africa?

The stare decisis rule originates from English law which is accepted in South Africa. It is a Latin noun which literally means to 'stand by things decided'. Explained differently it means that Judges are bound by the decisions reached in previous judgments where a set principle has been created.

Why is the writ of habeas corpus an important right?

The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment. Translated from Latin it means "show me the body." Habeas corpus has historically been an important instrument to safeguard individual freedom against arbitrary executive power.

What are the limitations of stare decisis?

Critics of stare decisis contend that strict adherence to the principle: (1) compounds injustice caused by wrongly decided cases; (2) fails to accommodate social and political developments that render the earlier decision outdated or ineffective; (3) perpetuates bad law until legislative action; and (4) amplifies ...

What is the importance of the doctrine of judicial precedent in English legal system?

The main advantage of using precedent is that it provides certainty in the law. As cases with sufficiently similar material facts are bound by past decisions, it provides an idea of how the case will be decided. Another advantage is that it provides consistent decisions within the law, which also ensures fairness.

Does the doctrine of stare decisis bar the US Supreme Court?

A court adhering to the principle of horizontal stare decisis will follow its prior decisions absent exceptional circumstances (e.g., the Supreme Court following its decisions unless they have become too difficult for lower courts to apply).

What is the purpose of the US District Courts quizlet?

The United States district courts are the trial courts of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories of federal cases, including both civil and criminal matters.