What happens to most requests for Supreme Court review?

What happens to most requests for Supreme Court review?

• A. The appeals receive a majority of votes in conference and are granted review.
• B. The appeals receive four or more votes in conference and are granted review.
• C. The appeals are denied in conference and review is not granted.
• D. The appeals are placed on the docket for consideration by the Supreme Court.

Answer: (C)

This question tests how the Supreme Court handles petitions for certiorari. The Court has discretionary jurisdiction over most cases, so it reviews only a tiny fraction of the petitions it receives. To grant review, at least four justices must vote in favor during the Conference (the Rule of Four). Because most petitions do not reach that level of support, they are denied in conference and no review is granted. A petition is placed on the docket only if cert is granted, which happens for a very small subset. So, for the vast majority of requests, the outcome is denial in conference and no review.

This question tests how the Supreme Court handles petitions for certiorari. The Court has discretionary jurisdiction over most cases, so it reviews only a tiny fraction of the petitions it receives. To grant review, at least four justices must vote in favor during the Conference (the Rule of Four). Because most petitions do not reach that level of support, they are denied in conference and no review is granted. A petition is placed on the docket only if cert is granted, which happens for a very small subset. So, for the vast majority of requests, the outcome is denial in conference and no review.