Should Supreme Courts have power to overturn their own precedents?

Context

The power of courts to overturn their own precedents—known as overruling—sits at the heart of judicial authority and legal stability. When the U.S. Supreme Court reverses a previous decision, it can reshape decades of law affecting millions of people, as seen in recent rulings on voting rights and other constitutional questions. The debate hinges on competing values: whether courts should respect settled law for predictability, or retain flexibility to correct past errors as society and understanding evolve.