Preceding means coming before. A precedent is the first of something which sets a new standard and affects what comes afterwards. In a court of law, a judge sets a precedent when he or she makes a decision which is the first of its kind - there is no similar decision which came before it. Other judges can then use this precedent to make similar decisions in similar cases.
Read this paragraph and answer the question below.
Now You Are The Judge
The government taxes vegetables but not fruit. Mr. Smith refuses to pay taxes on tomatoes, claiming that they are fruits. You are the judge in this case and you bring two experts to help you decide.
The expert on plants claims that the difference between 'fruit’ and 'vegetable’ is that a fruit has seeds, like an orange, but a vegetable has no seeds, like a carrot. Therefore, a tomato is a fruit and so Mr. Smith does not have to pay taxes on tomatoes.
The chef, an expert on food, claims that fruits are sweet and are used in desserts. Vegetables are used for making salads. Therefore, a tomato is a vegetable and so Mr. Smith must pay taxes on tomatoes.
