Ennakkopäätösarvoa

Ennakkopäätösarvoa refers to a legal concept in Finnish law, specifically within administrative law and judicial proceedings. It translates to "precedent value" or "value of prior decision." This concept acknowledges that decisions made by higher courts, particularly the Supreme Administrative Court (Korkein hallinto-oikeus) and the Supreme Court (Korkein oikeus), carry significant weight when lower courts and administrative bodies make similar rulings.

While Finland does not have a strict common law system of binding precedent, these higher court decisions serve as a strong persuasive authority. Lower courts and administrative authorities strive to follow established jurisprudence to ensure legal certainty and consistency. This means that if a particular legal issue has been thoroughly examined and decided upon by a higher court, subsequent cases dealing with the same or very similar issues are likely to be decided in accordance with that prior ruling.

The ennakkopäätösarvo is particularly relevant when interpreting and applying statutes. Higher court decisions provide authoritative interpretations of the law, guiding how those laws should be understood and applied in practice. This principle promotes predictability in the legal system, allowing individuals and organizations to better anticipate legal outcomes. However, it is important to note that the specific circumstances of each case can influence how much weight a prior decision is given. Minor factual differences can sometimes lead to different outcomes.