Test case (law)

In case law, a test case is a legal action whose purpose is to set a precedent. An example of a test case might be a person who files a lawsuit in order to see if the court considers a certain law or a certain legal precedent applies in certain circumstances. This is useful, for example, in order to later file similar lawsuits in similar circumstances. Sometimes, lawyers delay filing a lawsuit to wait and see how a test case is decided. Test cases are sometimes used to challenge a law to have it possibly overturned. Government agencies sometimes bring test cases in order to confirm or expand their powers.
Examples.
Examples of influential test cases include: