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CS Executive · Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws · Sources of Law

The doctrine of stare decisis, as discussed under the sources of law, is best understood as the principle that:

Stare decisis requires courts to follow earlier decisions on the same legal point. This promotes certainty, predictability and consistency in the administration of justice, because similar cases are decided alike instead of each judge deciding afresh on personal views.

  1. ACourts should follow earlier decided cases on the same point of law to ensure certainty and consistencyCorrect
  2. BLegislature must follow the opinions of courts while making statutes
  3. COnly the final conclusion of a case, and not its reasoning, binds later courts
  4. DA court may ignore its own earlier decisions whenever it finds them inconvenient

Explanation

Stare decisis means 'to stand by decisions'. Courts adhere to settled precedent on the same point so that law remains certain and predictable. The option saying courts may ignore earlier decisions at will is the opposite of the doctrine.

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