Answer:
precedent
Explanation:
Within the United States legal system, precedent, or what came before, is of great legal importance. This is one of the defining characteristics of common law. In addition to providing consistence, precedent means that courts must follow the decisions of higher-level courts within the same jurisdiction. This is intended to provide consistency and fairness throughout the various levels of courts in the country. Within common law, all legal decisions must be made based on previous legal decisions.
