pretsedenti

Pretsedenti is a term of Italian origin that translates to "precedents" in English. In a legal context, precedents are previous court decisions that are considered authoritative for future cases with similar facts or legal issues. The doctrine of precedent, also known as stare decisis (Latin for "to stand by things decided"), is a fundamental principle in common law legal systems. It promotes consistency, predictability, and fairness in the application of law. When a higher court has made a decision on a particular matter, lower courts within the same jurisdiction are generally bound to follow that decision. This ensures that similar cases are treated similarly, fostering public confidence in the judicial system. However, precedents are not always absolute and can be distinguished, overruled, or modified by subsequent decisions. The concept of precedent is less central in civil law systems, which rely more heavily on codified statutes as the primary source of law. Outside of the legal field, "pretsedenti" can refer to any past event or action that serves as an example or guide for future conduct or decisions.