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How Stare Decisis Subverts The Law: Decisis, A Latin Term of Art Which Means "To Stand by Decided Cases To
How Stare Decisis Subverts The Law: Decisis, A Latin Term of Art Which Means "To Stand by Decided Cases To
lawyers,thatwhateverhasbeen
donebeforemaylegallybedoneagain:andthereforetheytakespecial
caretorecordallthedecisionsformerlymadeagainstcommonjustice
andthegeneralreasonofmankind.
JonathanSwift,GulliversTravels.
HowstaredecisisSubvertstheLaw
JonRoland
2000June10
Theproblemforjurisprudence,especiallyconstitutionaljurisprudence,is
howtogetbackwithinAwhenone'sopponent'spositionissupportedby
FandonecannotdistinguishprecedentstakingtheargumentbacktoA
withinthebriefpagelimits.Itmaybealmostimpossibleunlessoruntil
one can get the case to the Supreme Court, which can ignore and
reverseitsownprecedents,butwhichcantakeonlyabout75casesa
year,andisreluctanttoissuesweepingopinionsthatcancoveralarge
numberofcasesthatmightotherwisedeservetobegrantedcertiorari,
butwhichwillnevermakeitbecausethelitigantsarediscouragedfrom
makingfundamentalargumentsthatmightworkwiththeSupremeCourt
butwhichwouldbedisfavoredbylowercourts.
tisdifficulttoestimatehowmanyunconstitutionallegislativeprovisions
are adoptedeachyearbyCongress,butaplausiblenumberismore
than20,000,oraboutasmanyasthenumberofbillsintroducedeach
year.Thereissimplynowaythatthefederalcourtscanhandleallthe
cases that might arise under that many provisions. They are almost
forced to rely on the presumption of constitutionality of statutes, but
membersofCongressareincreasinglyreluctanttorestrainthemselves
fromadoptinglegislationtheyknowtobeunconstitutional,butwhichis
supported by some of their constituents,and passing theduty to the
federalcourtsofstrikinglegislationthatshouldneverhavebeenpassed
inthefirstplace.
The waystare decisisis supposed to be used is indicated by the
definition of it in Bouvier'sLaw Dictionaryof 1856, which is closer to
originalpracticeandintent:
tare decisis. To abide or adhere to decided cases.
2. It is a general maxim that when a point has been settled by
decision,itformsaprecedentwhichisnotafterwardstobedeparted
from.Thedoctrineofstaredecisisisnotalwaystobereliedupon,forthe