Judicial precedents, also known as case law, refer to legal principles established by the decisions of courts. When a court makes a ruling on a case, that decision can serve as a guide for future cases with similar circumstances. This practice helps ensure consistency and predictability in the law, as lower courts are generally expected to follow the precedents set by higher courts. In many legal systems, particularly those following the common law tradition, judicial precedents play a crucial role in shaping the law. Judges analyze previous rulings to determine how to apply the law in new cases, thereby creating a body of law that evolves over time through judicial interpretation.