Prior(s) is a legal term used to describe temporal precedence in the context of legal matters, or when discussing a legal order or judgment. In other words, it refers to something that took place before a certain time or event. Prior usually refers to a legal position or law that was established or enacted before the current law. In other words, it refers to a legal or substantive matter that was in place before exemptions, modifications, or other alterations were made.
Real-World Examples
For example, if a person was fired from a job in the past for being rude to their employer, the court would consider this to be a prior event that can’t be changed or modified. The employer could attempt to use this to establish precedent to prevent the employee from suing for wrongful termination.
Alternatively, if a particular law or regulation changed in the past, the court might check to see if a prior version exists that is still valid or effective. This could help determine if a certain aspect of the case is still under the jurisdiction of the prior law when the current law has been modified.
Conclusion
In summary, the term ‘prior’ is used to indicate that something happened before any other events or conditions occurred. In many cases, this can be an important factor in determining the legal standing of a situation or the legal efficacy of a law or regulation.