precedent-based reasoning
nounA way of thinking where you use what happened in past cases to help you decide what to do now.
The judge used precedent-based reasoning, looking at how similar cases were decided before.
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OTHER MEANINGS
2. In law, deciding a new case by following the rules set by earlier court decisions.
Lawyers rely on precedent-based reasoning to predict how the court might rule.
3. In artificial intelligence, a method where a computer solves new problems by recalling similar past problems.
The system used precedent-based reasoning to suggest a fix based on earlier repairs.
4. In everyday life, making choices by comparing a new situation to something similar you have already experienced.
Her precedent-based reasoning told her to take an umbrella because last time the sky looked like this, it rained.