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  1. Home
  2. ›Definitions
  3. ›Supreme Court
  4. ›Certiorari

Supreme Court

Certiorari

Supreme Court decision to take a case for full review.

What this means

A writ of certiorari is how the Supreme Court usually agrees to hear a case. Most petitions are denied. The Gavel emphasizes merits work after the Court takes a case, not every denied petition.

Related

  • Merits case

    A case the Court takes for briefing, argument, and decision.

  • October Term

    The Court’s annual term that begins each October.

All definitions · Methodology