A writ of certiorari (often abbreviated as "cert") is the primary mechanism the U.S. Supreme Court uses to select the cases it will hear. The Court receives thousands of petitions each year but grants "cert" to only a tiny fraction (usually fewer than 100). The "Rule of Four" dictates that at least four of the nine justices must vote to grant the writ. The Court typically grants cert to resolve conflicting rulings among the lower federal appeals courts (a "circuit split") or to address questions of major national importance.
Because the Supreme Court gets to choose its own homework, the decision to grant or deny cert is an immense exercise of power, shaping the legal priorities of the entire nation.
Because the Supreme Court gets to choose its own homework, the decision to grant or deny cert is an immense exercise of power, shaping the legal priorities of the entire nation.