Question

Jonah is a lawyer representing a company in a lawsuit. During the trial, Jonah referred to a court case from ten years ago and asked the witness if she felt her company had acted in a similar manner as the company in the previous case. When Jonah referred to the previous court case, he was relying on ________ to make his case.

1) precedent
2) direct evidence
3) hearsay
4) expert opinion

Answer 1

Jonah was using precedent, where earlier court cases guide current judgments, to support his argument in the lawsuit.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Jonah, the lawyer, referred to a previous court case to make a comparison with the current lawsuit, he was relying on precedent to make his case. The practice of using precedents involves utilizing principles or guidelines established by courts in earlier cases to steer the direction of current cases under trial. The concept of stare decisis, which implies 'let the decision stand', is an integral part of the justice system, where past decisions serve as a guide for future cases. By doing so, Jonah was attempting to show that the company he represents should be viewed under the lens of legal standards that have been previously established by the courts.