precedent
n. C / Un. an action or decision from the past that people use as an example for how to handle a similar situation now. It helps people decide what is fair or correct based on what happened before.
n. an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances. In legal contexts, it refers to a previous case or legal decision that may or must be followed in similar cases.
The judge's decision set a precedent for future cases.
The company's decision to allow remote work for one employee created a precedent that others soon followed.
Legal scholars argue that overturning such a long-standing precedent would destabilize the judicial system and lead to significant social uncertainty regarding property rights.
From Middle French, from Old French, from Latin praecēdēns, present participle of praecēdere (“to precede”); See precede.
Often used with the verbs 'set', 'establish', or 'follow'. When used as an uncountable concept in legal theory, it refers to the body of past decisions.
The judge made a precedent.The judge set a precedent.In English, the standard collocation for creating a new precedent is 'set' or 'establish', not 'make'.