How many cases does the Supreme Court decide a year?

Answer 1

The US Supreme Court issues fewer than one hundred full opinions per year, but the exact number varies.

2010 Term.............85

2009 Term.............92

2008 Term.............83

2007 Term.............70 (3 cases dismissed before arguments)

2006 Term.............75

2005 Term.............87

The Court also reviews approximately another 50-75 cases on paper without writing full opinions. Many are affirmed, reversed and remanded, or dismissed without comment.

Answer 2

The US Supreme Court received 7,738 petitions for Writ of Certiorari (requests for case review) in each the 2008-2009 Term (the most recent year for which information is available). The Court estimated it had received more than 10,000 petitions last Term, but the number was revised downward in the Chief Justice's year-end report. This represents about a 6.1% decrease in the number of cases submitted for the 2007-2008 Term, but 234.5% more than the 2,313 the Court received in 1960.

Answer 3

The US Supreme Court received 7,738 petitions for Writ of Certiorari (requests for case review) in the 2008-2009 Term (the most recent year for which information is available). The Court estimated it had received more than 10,000 petitions last Term, but the number was revised downward in the Chief Justice's year-end report. This represents about a 6.1% decrease in the number of cases submitted for the 2007-2008 Term, but 234.5% more than the 2,313 the Court received in 1960.

According to Chief Justice Roberts' year-end report for 2009, "During the 2008 Term, 87 cases were argued and 83 were disposed of in 74 signed opinions, compared to 75 cases argued and 72 disposed of in 67 signed opinions in the 2007 Term." The justices write orders for another 50-60 cases reviewed without argument.

The Supreme Court estimates the justices generate approximately 5,000 pages of written opinions each Term.

For more information, see Related Questions, below.

Answer 4

The Court typically hears between 60-75 oral argumentsper year, and reviews approximately another 50-60 more cases on paper. The total represents a mere 1-2% of the cases submitted on appeal, due to limitations on the amount of work a nine-Justice Court can handle.

Answer 5

The US Supreme Court received 8,159 petitions for Writ of Certiorari (requests for case review) in the 2009-2010 Term (the most recent year for which information is available). This represents about a 5.4% increase over the 7,738 cases submitted for the 2008-2009 Term, and is 252.7 % more than the 2,313 the Court received in 1960.

The Court also typically receives a few cases involving disputes between the states, which they hear under original (trial) jurisdiction.

The court granted certiorari for 85 cases in the 2010-2011 Term.

Answer 6

During one sitting session the Supreme court goes through about 80 out of 7,000 cases.

Answer 7

The justices of the Supreme Court only take on the cases that they wish to hear. Typically no more than 100 cases are heard by the court each year.