Under what conditions might a court overrule a prior decision?

A court can overrule a prior decision primarily when it finds that the rule of law was applied incorrectly in the original case. This situation arises when subsequent legal interpretation or a change in the law demonstrates that the previous ruling did not follow the correct legal principles or standards. Legal precedents are not set in stone; they can evolve as courts clarify the meaning of statutes, address new legal issues, or respond to societal changes and advancements in legal theory.

In this context, the other scenarios do not sufficiently justify overturning a prior decision. Presenting new evidence may impact a case, but it typically does not lead to overruling a previous decision regarding interpretations of the law. A judge's retirement does not inherently affect the validity of prior rulings, as those decisions remain binding unless formally overturned by a court. Lastly, while shifts in public opinion can influence the law and legal outcomes, they alone do not provide a legal basis for a court to overrule an established decision. It is the legal reasoning and application of the law that must be re-evaluated for a prior ruling to be overturned.