Final answer:
Principals or standards used for judgment are known as criteria. In legal contexts, these are often based on precedents and the principle of stare decisis. Principles also guide personal behavior and scholarly research, providing consistency and predictability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Principals or standards by which something may be judged or decided are known as criteria. These criteria act as a benchmark, guiding evaluations and reviews in various fields, including law. For example, courts rely on precedent and stare decisis to ensure consistency and predictability in legal judgments. Precedents are earlier case decisions that courts look to when making new rulings, and stare decisis is the legal principle of adhering to these precedents. In broader contexts, principles can also refer to foundational truths or propositions that guide behavior or operations, exemplifying high quality standards or actionable cause-and-effect relationships.
In practical application, principles can serve as a compass for personal conduct or scholarly research, underpinning the procedural and ethical guidelines within a particular field. The Constitution and Bill of Rights in the United States provide the legal framework upon which principles of freedom, such as the right to assemble or freedom of speech, are interpreted and applied to specific cases, thereby setting legal precedents for future reference. Understanding the role of principles in law aids in identifying the underlying premises that dictate the course of legal decisions and academic research.