Which term is defined as a judge-made body of law that governs a common set of principles?

• A. Precedent
• B. Statute
• C. Regulation
• D. Ordinance

Answer: (A)

Precedent is judge-made law that governs a common set of principles by using past court decisions to guide how similar cases are decided in the future. It creates consistency and predictability because the legal reasoning (ratio decidendi) from a decision is applied to new cases with similar facts. Over time, these decisions form a body of law where higher court rulings bind lower courts within the same jurisdiction, shaping how the law develops. This is distinct from statute (law made by Parliament), regulation (rules created by agencies under statutes), and ordinance (local government law). So the term that fits is precedent.