Students of common law, and more specifically American law, know that the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court form binding precedent on courts below it. But happens when the Supreme Court itself says that it's decision is only limited to the case before it, and thus not binding on future cases in lowers court? That is exactly what the Court did in the infamous case of Bush v. Gore. That is the case, you may remember, that gave George Bush the presidency after the hotly contested 2000 election. Using the now famous words: "Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances," the Court limited, or at least tried to limit, the reach of its importance in future cases. Mission accomplished? Until recently yes, but a spate of election-related lawsuits have called into question whether the Court has successfully limited the reach of it's ruling. The New Times has more.
