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  1. Home
  2. ›Definitions
  3. ›Supreme Court
  4. ›Shadow docket

Supreme Court

Shadow docket

Informal name for emergency or summary orders outside the main argued calendar.

What this means

“Shadow docket” is popular shorthand for emergency applications and summary orders that skip the usual argued-merits path. The Gavel’s merits-focused archive does not try to mirror every emergency order stream.

Related

  • Merits case

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

  • Certiorari

    Supreme Court decision to take a case for full review.

All definitions · Methodology