How does a case get heard in the US Supreme Court, and what process does the Court go through when hearing and deciding on a case?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

As the nation's court of last resort, the US Supreme Court is the nation's highest appellate body. The court chooses approximately 300 out of about 5,000 cases appealed each year, and of those it grants a full decision to only about 100 cases. When the Court decides to hear a case, it grants a writ of certiorari requesting a transcript of the proceedings for review. More than 90 percent of the cases heard by the Court are brought by petition for a writ of certiorari. After reviewing written arguments outlining the case and the points of law to be considered, the Court then hears attorneys for each side give oral arguments that last for 30 minutes. The justices then meet in a "case conference" to discuss the case and vote. When reaching a decision, the Court reevaluates and reinterprets state statutes, the US Constitution, and previous case decisions. It then affirms or reverses the decision of the lower court. The chief justice assigns a member of the majority group to write an opinion and another justice typically writes a dissent, unless the decision was unanimous. When the Supreme Court rules on a case, it becomes precedent and must be honored by all lower courts.