Final answer:
Judicial cases today may be important tomorrow because they establish a precedent. The principle of 'stare decisis' ensures that courts follow past decisions when interpreting the law in future cases, maintaining legal consistency and stability over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Judicial cases today may be important tomorrow because they establish a precedent. This means that the decisions made in current cases will serve as a guide for future cases, especially when the legal facts are similar. This practice, part of case law, is known as stare decisis, or "let the decision stand". It is through stare decisis that the U.S. court system ensures consistency in legal proceedings, thereby providing stability to the law.
Court decisions are not only final judgments but also contain reasoning that sets the stage for future rulings. When a court interprets and applies the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or statutory law to a specific set of facts, it creates legal precedents that other courts are expected to follow. This principle of following precedent is central to the legitimacy of the judiciary and the even-handed administration of justice.
Ultimately, the reliance on past decisions enables the courts to interpret laws and the Constitution in a consistent manner over time. However, new precedents can and do arise, especially when earlier rulings no longer align with modern understandings of rights and justice, such as in the landmark shift from Plessey v. Ferguson to Brown v. Board of Education.