Precedent

Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.

Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.

A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign.

A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.

A judicial decision which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; an authority to be followed in courts of justice; forms of proceeding to be followed in similar cases.

An earlier event or action used as an example or guide.

a subject mentioned earlier (preceding in time)

an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time

(civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions

a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws; "common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States"