Legal Definitions - on all fours

On all fours is a legal metaphor used to describe a prior court case (known as a precedent) whose essential facts and legal issues are so remarkably similar to a current case that it serves as an almost perfect guide for how the current case should be decided. When two cases are described as being "on all fours," it means they are nearly identical in all material aspects, making the precedent highly persuasive and often binding on the court.

This phrase signifies that the previous case provides a very strong and direct comparison, suggesting that the legal outcome should be the same in the current situation due to the striking factual and legal parallels.

• Example 1: Contract Dispute Over Defective Goods

  Imagine a small business, "Gadget Innovations," sues a supplier for delivering a batch of custom electronic components that were all defective. The supplier refuses a refund, citing a "no returns on custom orders" clause in their contract. Gadget Innovations' lawyer discovers a recent appellate court decision where another small business successfully sued a different supplier under an identical "no returns" clause, with the court ruling that the clause did not apply to products that were inherently defective upon delivery.

  How it illustrates "on all fours": Gadget Innovations' lawyer would argue that the previous appellate case is "on all fours" with their client's situation. Both cases involve nearly identical contract language, the delivery of inherently defective custom goods, and a supplier refusing a refund based on a "no returns" clause. Because the material facts and legal questions are so similar, the precedent is highly relevant and strongly suggests the court should rule in favor of Gadget Innovations.

• Example 2: Property Easement Dispute

  Consider a homeowner, Ms. Chen, who wants to build a fence on her property line. Her neighbor, Mr. Davis, claims he has a right-of-way (an easement) across a portion of Ms. Chen's land, based on an informal, unrecorded agreement between their previous owners from decades ago. Ms. Chen's attorney finds a recent state Supreme Court ruling involving two neighbors with an unrecorded, informal agreement for a similar right-of-way, where the court determined that such an agreement was not legally enforceable against new property owners who purchased the land without any official notice of the easement.

  How it illustrates "on all fours": Ms. Chen's attorney would assert that the state Supreme Court case is "on all fours" with her situation. Both cases involve an unrecorded, informal easement agreement between prior owners, a new owner who purchased the property without formal notice, and the same state property laws governing easements. The striking similarity in these critical facts means the precedent is highly likely to dictate the outcome, favoring Ms. Chen.

• Example 3: Employment Discrimination Claim

  Suppose an employee, Mr. Rodriguez, is suing his former employer for age discrimination. He claims he was fired shortly after his 58th birthday, despite a stellar performance record, and was replaced by a 28-year-old with less experience. Mr. Rodriguez's legal team identifies a federal appeals court decision from the same jurisdiction where an employee, also in their late 50s with a strong performance history, was terminated and replaced by a significantly younger, less experienced individual, leading the court to find clear evidence of age discrimination.

  How it illustrates "on all fours": Mr. Rodriguez's lawyers would argue that the federal appeals court case is "on all fours" with their client's claim. The key facts—the employee's age, strong performance, termination, and replacement by a much younger, less experienced person—are strikingly similar. This strong precedent would make it very likely for Mr. Rodriguez to succeed in his age discrimination lawsuit, as the previous court has already addressed nearly identical circumstances.