What does the doctrine of stare decisis mean?

What does the doctrine of stare decisis mean?

• A. The obligation to decide cases quickly
• B. The principle of following precedent in court decisions
• C. The requirement to publish opinions in Latin
• D. The rule that the Supreme Court can overrule itself

Answer: (B)

Stare decisis means courts follow past decisions when the same legal issues come up, letting prior rulings guide future cases. This creates consistency and predictability in the law, so people know what rules apply and can rely on them. It isn’t about deciding cases quickly or about publishing opinions in Latin, and although the Supreme Court can overturn its own past decisions, that action goes against stare decisis and happens only when the Court determines a previous ruling was wrong or circumstances have changed.