6-Law making: judicial precedent Flashcards
What is judicial precedent?
Where past decisions of judges create law for future judges to follow.
Where past decisions of judges create law for future judges to follow.
Judicial precedent
What is the latin term for judicial precedent?
stare decisis
stare decisis
Latin term for judicial precedent
Original precedent?
A decision on a point of law that hasn’t been decided yet.
A decision on a point of law that hasn’t been decided yet.
Original precedent
Binding precedent
A decision in an earlier case which must be followed in later cases.
A decision in an earlier case which must be followed in later cases.
Binding precedent
What case is an example of judicial precedent?
Automatic Telephone Electric v Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements (1965)
Facts: This case was same point of law from a case the previous day-beforehand, Wilmer LJ had disagreed but in the above case he had to agree.
Automatic Telephone Electric v Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements (1965)
Example of: judicial precedent
Facts: This case was same point of law from a case the previous day-beforehand, Wilmer LJ had disagreed but in the above case he had to agree.
What is persuasive precedent?
A decision which does not have to be followed by later cases, but which a judge may decide to follow.
A decision which does not have to be followed by later cases, but which a judge may decide to follow.
Persuasive precedent
Sources of persuasive precedent
1) Lower courts-R v R (1991)
2) Judicial members of the Privy Council-Wagon Mound (1961)
3) Obiter dicta
4) Dissenting judgement
5) International courts-like the Commonwealth
What case is an example of persuasive precedent from a lower court?
R v R (1991)
Facts: House of Lords agreed on a point of law with the Court of Appeal-man found guilty of raping his wife.
What case is an example of persuasive precedent from a decision made by the Privy Council?
The Wagon Mound (No. 1) (1961)
What case is an example of persuasive precedent from ‘obiter dicta’?
R v Gotts (1992)
Facts: in R v Howe (1987) judges ruled duress could not be a defence to murder and ‘obiter dicta’ nor for attempted murder as in R v Gotts (1992)
What case did the judgement for R v Gotts (1992) rely on?
In what form?
R v Howe (1987)
Something said obiter dicta in Howe meant D was guilty in R v Gotts (1992)
What is a dissenting judgement?
A judgement given by a judge who disagrees with the reasoning of the majority of judges in the case-his or her judgement is then used in future cases.
A judgement given by a judge who disagrees with the reasoning of the majority of judges in the case-his or her judgement is then used in future cases.
Dissenting judgement
In what circumstances might a court not be bound to follow the decision of superior or their own courts?
1) CJEU (EU law)
2) Human Rights-Human Rights Act 1998 binds courts to follow ECHR judgements
What is an appellate court?
A court that hears appeals?
What is the name for a court that hears appeals?
An appellate court
What are the appellate courts?
1) Supreme Court
2) Court of Appeal
3) Divisional Courts
1) Supreme Court
2) Court of Appeal
3) Divisional Courts
What is the significance of these Courts?
They are the 3 appellate Courts in our legal system.
Hierarchy of the Civil Courts Lowest to Highest
1) Magistrates’ Court
2) County Court
3) High Court
4) Divisional Courts
5) Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
6) Supreme Court
Hierarchy of the Criminal Courts lowest to highest
1) Magistrates’ Court
2) Crown Court
3) Queen’s Bench Divisional Court
4) Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
5) Supreme Court