Abstract:
In Singapore today, there are two main reasons by which a court may be considered bound to apply a particular legal rule stated in a precedent case: (a) through the force of stare decisis, or (b) by operation of the Application of English Law Act 1993 (2020 Rev Ed) (“AELA”). This article aims to offer practitioners an updated primer on the doctrine of stare decisis and the operation of AELA in Singapore. It purports to be a practical starting point on the issues and focuses on synthesising and describing the relevant positions that have been taken by Singapore courts on the issues.