Supreme Court [SCOTUS]

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hears cases appealed from the circuit courts, and which generally raise novel questions of law. For example, the Supreme Court will generally choose to hear cases where a “split” has occurred among the different circuits, with one circuit deciding a case one way and another circuit deciding a case the other way. Decisions made by the Supreme Court are binding on all lower courts. The Supreme Court decides which cases to take through a process known as certiorari, sometimes abbreviated as “cert”.

Related Articles:
  • Glossary: Certiorari [Cert]
    The Supreme Court decides which cases to take through a process known as certiorari, sometimes abbreviated as “cert”. The Justices of the Court review every case appealed to the Supreme Court. If four or more Justices decide that the Supreme Court should issue an opinion on the case, the Supreme Court issues a writ of certiorari, or “grants cert”. If the Supreme Court decides not to hear the case, it “denies cert”. If the Supreme Court grants certiorari, the Justices will hear oral argument and issue a decision. If the Supreme Court denies certiorari, the opinion of the circuit court stands.
  • Glossary: Federal Court
    All federal judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Once confirmed, a federal judge has a lifetime term. There are three levels of courts in the federal system: District Courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
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