Social Sciences and History / Unit 8 SSH 0723 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Certiorari, the Rule of Four, and the Docket
Captions available
The idea
A writ of certiorari calls up a lower court's records so the Supreme Court may review the case. By the Rule of Four, four justices suffice to hear it. Law clerks, the solicitor general, interest groups and the media influence which cases are taken and how they are decided.
In practice
The Court's proceedings, never filmed.
Where people slip
Nine justices: a chief and eight associates.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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