Guidelines

What is precedent in Australian law?

What is precedent in Australian law?

Precedent means that judges are bound to follow interpretations of the law made by judges in higher courts, in cases with similar facts or involving similar legal principles. For example, the highest court in Australia, the High Court, while not bound to follow its own earlier decisions, does so in most cases.

Why are precedents used in Australian courts?

The doctrine of precedent was developed to promote consistency in decision-making by judges, on the basis that like cases should be determined in a like manner.

What is a precedent in law?

Precedent refers to a court decision that is considered as authority for deciding subsequent cases involving identical or similar facts, or similar legal issues. If the facts or issues of a case differ from those in a previous case, the previous case cannot be precedent. The Supreme Court in Cooper Industries, Inc.

Is precedent used by lawyers?

Case law, in common-law jurisdictions, is the set of decisions of adjudicatory tribunals or other rulings that can be cited as precedent. Essential to the development of case law is the publication and indexing of decisions for use by lawyers, courts, and the general public, in the form of law reports.

How is the doctrine of Precedent applied in Australian courts?

Precedent in Australian courts The doctrine of precedent involves the application of the ratio of a previous higher court decision in the same hierarchy to future decisions in the same hierarchy. The application of precedent provides the basis for the development of case law. The strict application of the doctrine of precedent in

Why did the High Court extend the doctrine of precedent?

The High Court has felt it necessary to extend the doctrine of precedent, so that the common practice of the lower courts, in both England and Australia, of following non-ratio dicta becomes compulsory for the Australian courts.

Why did the High Court re-make Australian law?

It might be said that it was time for the High Court to re-make Australian law for Australia, but that would be overstating the case. As the nation’s ultimate court of appeal the Court came under a fresh obligation to take stock of Australian law, no longer constrained by the prospect of contradiction by the Privy Council. 3

Where does the law in Australia come from?

The laws of our Australian society today are often supported by many of the same principles. The two direct sources of our law today are common law (law made by judges in courts), and statute law (law made by parliaments). Australian law has its origins in what is called the ‘common law’ of England.