Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: NOT LAW
Definition: When a judge makes a decision that most lawyers think is wrong, they might ignore it and not follow it in the future. This is called a decision that is "not law." It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it means that the decision is not considered important or correct anymore.
Definition: A judicial decision that is considered incorrect or outdated by the legal profession and therefore not followed in future cases.
For example, if a court made a decision in the past that is no longer considered valid or relevant to current laws and legal practices, it may be deemed "not law." This means that if a similar case were to arise in the future, the court would not be bound to follow the previous decision and could instead make a new ruling based on current laws and precedents.
Another example of a decision that may be considered "not law" is one that was made by a lower court and was later overturned by a higher court. In this case, the decision of the higher court would be considered the correct interpretation of the law, and the previous decision would be disregarded.
Overall, a decision that is deemed "not law" is one that is no longer considered valid or relevant to current legal practices and is therefore not followed in future cases.