Which description matches reversing a precedent?

Which description matches reversing a precedent?

• A. Reversing a precedent occurs when a judge disagrees with a lower court's decision on appeal
• B. Overruling a precedent occurs when a judge disagrees with a lower court's decision, not on appeal
• C. Distinguishing a precedent occurs when a judge avoids following a binding precedent by finding different facts between cases
• D. Disapproving precedent occurs when lower courts still follow the precedent but the judge shows dissatisfaction in applying it

Answer: (A)

Reversing a precedent means the appellate court overturns the lower court’s ruling on appeal, changing the outcome of that specific case. The judge’s disagreement with the lower court’s decision leads to setting aside that ruling and applying a different outcome, without necessarily changing the general rule for future cases. This is what happens when an appeal leads to a reversal. Understand how the other terms differ: overru ling a precedent involves changing the legal rule established by earlier cases for future cases; distinguishing is about avoiding following a binding rule in a case by showing the facts are different enough to justify a different result; and disapproving a precedent is more about expressing dissatisfaction with the rule without formally overturning it in that case.

Reversing a precedent means the appellate court overturns the lower court’s ruling on appeal, changing the outcome of that specific case. The judge’s disagreement with the lower court’s decision leads to setting aside that ruling and applying a different outcome, without necessarily changing the general rule for future cases. This is what happens when an appeal leads to a reversal.

Understand how the other terms differ: overru ling a precedent involves changing the legal rule established by earlier cases for future cases; distinguishing is about avoiding following a binding rule in a case by showing the facts are different enough to justify a different result; and disapproving a precedent is more about expressing dissatisfaction with the rule without formally overturning it in that case.