← Legal Glossary
Certiorari
Definition
A formal order from the Supreme Court agreeing to review a lower court's decision. Because the Supreme Court chooses which cases it hears, granting certiorari (often called 'cert') means the Court has decided the legal question is important enough to address.
Examples
- •The Supreme Court granted certiorari in this case in October 2025, meaning it agreed to hear Pung's appeal of the Sixth Circuit's ruling against him.