Legal Definitions - caselaw

Caselaw refers to the body of legal principles and rules that emerge from the decisions made by judges in specific court cases. Unlike laws created by legislatures (known as statutes), caselaw develops over time as courts interpret existing laws, apply them to new situations, and establish precedents. These judicial decisions serve as authoritative guidance for future cases involving similar facts or legal questions within the same jurisdiction, ensuring consistency and predictability in the application of the law.

Here are some examples to illustrate caselaw:

• Imagine a dispute where a tenant sues their landlord for failing to maintain a safe living environment, citing a state law that requires landlords to keep premises "habitable." The statute itself might not list every specific condition that makes a property uninhabitable. In this situation, the court will look to caselaw – previous court decisions where judges have interpreted what "habitable" means in different contexts. These past rulings might have established that a lack of working heat in winter or a severe pest infestation renders a property uninhabitable, guiding the current judge's decision.

• Consider a scenario where a new technology company develops an artificial intelligence system that makes hiring recommendations. A job applicant believes they were discriminated against due to the AI's recommendations, alleging a violation of existing anti-discrimination laws. Since these laws were written long before AI existed, there might not be specific statutes addressing AI bias directly. Courts will then develop caselaw by applying the principles of existing anti-discrimination laws to this new technological context. Future cases involving AI and discrimination will then refer to these initial judicial decisions as precedent.

• Suppose a driver causes an accident while texting, injuring another motorist. The injured party sues for negligence. While there might be a state law against texting while driving, the specific legal standard for proving negligence (e.g., what constitutes a "duty of care" or "breach of duty") is largely defined by caselaw. Generations of court decisions have established what a "reasonable person" would do in various driving situations, how to assess foreseeability of harm, and the extent of damages that can be recovered. The judge in this accident case will rely on these accumulated judicial interpretations to determine if the texting driver was legally negligent and what compensation is appropriate.