Courts in a common law jurisdiction (like the UK and US) don't have to try to set a precedent, each ruling tends to set a precedent. That is what makes common

Courts in a common law jurisdiction (like the UK and US) don't have to try to set a precedent, each ruling tends to set a precedent. That is what makes common law common, the same law is applied everywhere, so any new ruling would be applied everywhere. This is exactly why judges avoid making rulings that would set a new precedent! I hope I haven't oversimplified a complicated subject!