Besides the buildings of Fort Yellowstone, the army left a legacy of policies and practices that served as precedents for the future National Park Service management of national parks.
While Yellowstone was under army management, the activities, policies and procedures developed served as precedents for other national parks and subsequent actions by the National Park Service after its formation in 1916.
Britain's experience might serve as precedent.
But the court could also rule that it was merely a statement that cannot serve as precedent.
Yet if the Betamax decision serves as precedent, the repercussions are likely to extend beyond the publishing industry.
If our experience with block grants serves as precedent, it is most likely to become less generous over time.
Much as I welcome the New York Philharmonic's role in peacemaking, if a family memory serves as precedent, it may be some time before the orchestra's visit to North Korea has any positive effect.
As Justice Ginsburg put it in a question to the lawyer defending DOMA, in Reed v Reed, the 1971 case serving as precedent for Frontiero, "the Court said this is rank discrimination and it failed" to pass the minimal scrutiny of the rational basis test.
While it is reasonable for politicians to shy away from rationing — especially when voters believe no expense should be spared to save a human life — if the experience of other countries serves as precedent, they will probably get there sooner or later.
And, if you ask me, the recent ruling might even serve as precedent for a nice legal challenge to some of our more ridiculous copyright laws.
