Judicial precedent, also known as case law, refers to the legal principle where past court decisions influence future cases. When judges make rulings, they often rely on previous judgments to ensure consistency and fairness in the law. This practice helps create a stable legal system where similar cases are treated alike. In many legal systems, particularly in common law countries, higher court decisions bind lower courts. This means that if a higher court has ruled on a specific issue, lower courts must follow that ruling in similar cases. This reliance on established rulings promotes predictability in the law and guides judicial decision-making.