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Simple English definitions for legal terms
ruling case
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A quick definition of ruling case:
A ruling case is a legal decision that established an important rule or principle and has been consistently followed since. It is often cited as the most important precedent on a particular legal issue. Sometimes, a reported case that is cited as the final authority on an issue being litigated is also referred to as a ruling case.
A more thorough explanation:
A ruling case is a judicial decision that has settled an important legal rule or principle and has been consistently followed.
- Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602 (1966)
- Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)
Miranda v. Arizona is an example of a ruling case because it created the exclusionary rule for evidence obtained from a suspect being interrogated while in police custody. This decision has been consistently followed in subsequent cases.
Brown v. Board of Education is another example of a ruling case because it definitively settled the issue of segregation in public schools and has been consistently followed in subsequent cases.
In general, a ruling case is an important precedent on a particular legal issue that is often cited as the dispositive authority in current litigation.