The concept of precedent in the legal system serves to

• A. Allow arbitrary rulings
• B. Maintain consistency in legal decisions
• C. Bypass the need for written opinions
• D. Require new trials in every case

Answer: (B)

Precedent keeps the law stable by having courts follow established rulings in similar cases. This is the idea of stare decisis: once a court decides a rule for a particular set of facts, that rule guides future decisions in comparable situations. Such consistency makes outcomes predictable and fair, because people and lawyers can rely on how the law has been applied before. Written opinions explain the reasoning behind those rules, so future courts can apply the same logic to new controversies. While courts can distinguish different facts or overrule or modify old rulings when appropriate, the overall goal is to avoid arbitrary results and to create a coherent, evolving body of law. The other statements miss the point: precedent does not bypass written opinions—those opinions are what create the rules—and it does not demand new trials in every case, which would undermine efficiency and stability.