Criminal law and HIV non-disclosure.

 In addition, the courts also examine previous court decisions that applied and interpreted the Criminal Code in cases with similar facts and issues as the case at hand. This is called “case law” or “precedent.” Judgments from the Supreme Court of Canada are the most authoritative source of case law. They are binding in every other court in Canada (meaning, subsequent judgments must follow the same rules). Decisions from the provincial/territorial courts of appeal are binding within the lower courts of the same province/territory. But a court of appeal judgment can also have significant influence on other provincial/territorial courts of appeal, even though it is not technically binding.