Cases reach the US Supreme Court in one of two ways:
Original jurisdiction means the Supreme Court is the first to hear the case, acting as a trial court. Most cases heard under original jurisdiction involve disputes between the states, and account for only a tiny percent of the Court's work each year. The Supreme Court is constitutionally required to hear these cases.
Appellate jurisdiction means the case has already been to trial, and the losing party believes his (or her) rights were violated, or the decision was wrong due to a serious legal or procedural error. Before the Supreme Court can hear an issue under appellate jurisdiction, it (usually) must exhaust all other appeals. Most of the Supreme Court's caseload consists of suits being appealed from the federal court system (about two-thirds) or state court systems (about one-third).
In 2008, the US Supreme Court received more than 10,000 petitions for Writ of Certiorari, or requests for the justices to review a legal matter on final appeal. Clearly, there is no way nine justices can hear and decide 10,000 cases, so they use their judicial discretion to choose approximately 1-2% that they consider most worthy of their time.
According to the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist in his book, The Supreme Court: How It Was, How It Is, the decision whether to hear a case hinges on three major factors(paraphrased):
In addition, the case must involve questions of federal or constitutional law. The goal of the US Supreme Court is fair legal application and consistency of decisions in relation to the Constitution, federal law, and established precedents.
it raises a constitutional question. (Grad-point)
For more detailed information, see Related Questions, below.
The Supreme Court has made many decisions. Provide a case or subject and an answer can be given.
A conservative member of the supreme court is likely to make a ruling against immigration,against abortion rights and against tightening gun laws.
To make the final decision of the case.
Dred Scott's case made it to the Supreme Court because he sued for his freedom after living in a free state and a free territory with his owner. The case went through several lower courts before ultimately being appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court must have a simple majority to render a decision in a case.
The Supreme Court can check the power of Congress by ruling legislation passed by Congress is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court can do this when they a presented with an opportunity to hear a case which disputes a law. The supreme court's decision is final because it is the highest court in America.
Before their cases is decided before the Supreme court of the United States, the parties must make their final submissions.
An appeals case must involve a significant legal issue or constitutional question to make it to the Supreme Court. The Court typically considers cases that have national importance, conflicting decisions among lower courts, or issues that affect the rights of individuals.
If a decision made at District Court is successfully appealled, the case gets taken to a higher court. If there wasn't a Supreme Court, cases would keep getting appealled and taken to a higher court each time. Rulings by the Supreme Court can get appealled (the case would get taken to Congress), but this process is very difficult. The Supreme Court also has a duty to make sure laws and actions by the President and Congress are not unconsitutional.
petition for a writ of certiorari
The only state courts eligible to have cases reviewed by the US Supreme Court are the state supreme courts or court of appeals immediately under the state supreme court (if that court declines review), because a case must exhaust all appellate options before any party can petition the US Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari. State supreme courts can avoid having their cases reviewed by never accepting a case that involves questions of federal or constitutional law. Barring that, they could pay careful attention to case law and not make a ruling in conflict with an established precedent. Barring that, they can only hope whoever loses the state supreme court appeal doesn't petition the US Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari or, if they do, hope that the case isn't sufficiently compelling that it attracts four of the Justices' interest.
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