A legal principle meaning 'let the decision stand,' requiring courts to follow precedents established by previous judicial decisions. This doctrine ensures consistency and predictability in the legal system by binding lower courts to higher court rulings.
From Latin 'stare decisis et non quieta movere' (to stand by decisions and not disturb settled matters). The principle developed gradually in English common law during the medieval period, becoming formally recognized in the 19th century as judicial systems sought greater consistency.
This Latin phrase is why a Supreme Court decision from decades ago can still determine the outcome of today's cases—it's the legal equivalent of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' However, courts can overturn precedents, as happened with Brown v. Board overturning Plessy v. Ferguson's 'separate but equal' doctrine.
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