Certiorari (Cert)

Definition

The formal process by which the Supreme Court agrees to review a lower court's decision. Because the Supreme Court has nearly complete control over its docket, it grants certiorari only in cases it considers important, usually where lower courts are divided or a significant legal question needs resolution.

Examples

• •The Supreme Court granted the United States' petition for certiorari in October 2025, agreeing to decide whether § 922(g)(3) violates the Second Amendment as applied to marijuana users.

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