cRc Beth Din

cRc Beth Din News

Are the judges bound by precedent?

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Not really, at least not in the sense that secular courts are bound by their precedents. The judges in a Din Torah apply their understanding of Jewish law, and not all judges understand the law in the same manner. However, the body of Jewish law is very extensive, so many questions do have a clear resolution that the judges can be expected to follow.