What is the effect of stare decisis in judicial decision-making?

• A. It removes the need for precedent.
• B. It requires new trials in every case.
• C. It prevents any change in law.
• D. It ensures that precedent governs future cases.

Answer: (D)

Stare decisis means to stand by decisions already made. When a court decides a legal issue, that ruling becomes a precedent that guides future cases with similar facts or issues. This creates stability, predictability, and equal treatment, because judges and lawyers can rely on established rules rather than reworking the same principles from scratch. It doesn’t remove precedent or require new trials in every case, and it doesn’t freeze the law in place forever—courts can distinguish cases, overrule precedents, or legislation can change the rule. The core effect in judicial decision-making is that precedent governs future cases, shaping how issues are decided over time.