As with any common-law system, the Irish courts are bound by the doctrine of stare decisis to apply clear precedents set by higher courts and courts of co-ordinate jurisdiction.

As an appellate lawyer forced to apply legal precedents, he was trained to believe that judges should provide clear answers to legal questions rather than keeping the country guessing.

He argued the majority was applying precedents in an overly broad fashion; Ceballos was not being paid for his speech as much for his legal skills.

But by avoiding the word "misappropriation," Mr. Olson said, the S.E.C. bill would make it more difficult to apply existing judicial precedents.

Financial Management Analyst (501 job series) perform, advise on, or supervise work in any of the phases of budget administration when such work requires knowledge and skill in applying budget-related laws, regulations, policies, precedents, methods, and techniques.

Meredith stuck rigidly to the doctrine of applying precedents, avoiding narrow or restrictive interpretations of the law.

And besides America had been sliding towards a police state for years (wire-taps, surveillance of civilians) and it was a simple matter to apply these cloak-and-dagger methods and precedents to the Mars program.

The panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, split on applying legal precedents to the company responsible for the worst oil spill in United States history.

A circuit court judge applies precedents.