The common-law principle of (let the decision stand) provides that when a decision is rendered in a lawsuit involving a particular set of facts, another lawsuit involving an identical or substantially similar situation is to be resolved in the same manner as the first lawsuit.

Stare decisis

Explanation:

This principle is known as stare decisis. Stare decisis is a legal doctrine that is found in common-law systems, and that forces courts to follow patterns established by historical cases when ruling on a similar case. This ensures that similar situations are approached in similar ways, thus creating a unified and regular system of law. This concept of legal precedent is at the core of common-law systems.