Guidance on citation of judgments as ‘authorities’ – Transparency Project
‘Not all judgments are created equal. Some, by more senior judges or courts (essentially High Court judges or above), may be regarded as primary or binding ‘authority’ for the propositions of law which they contain. They lay down the law, which lesser courts and judges must follow. Courts of the same or equivalent standing must think twice before departing from those rulings, but more senior courts can, and sometimes do, decide differently and may even ‘over-rule’ them. In such a case, it will be the higher court’s ruling, or precedent, that takes precedence.’
Transparency Project, 28th February 2025
Source: transparencyproject.org.uk
