Supreme Court Hears Just 1% of Petitions Each Term
The Supreme Court accepts under 100 cases yearly from thousands of petitions.
Why it matters: Knowing how SCOTUS selects cases gives legal teams insight into what drives high court review, strategy for certiorari petitions, and federal law trends.
- SCOTUS receives 7,000–10,000 petitions for certiorari each term, but hears about 80–100 cases.
- At least four Justices must vote to grant certiorari—the 'Rule of Four.'
- National significance or conflicting lower court rulings drive most case selections.
- Case selection is discretionary, governed by internal Supreme Court rules.
The Supreme Court faces a heavy docket each term, receiving between 7,000 and 10,000 certiorari petitions. Only about 80 to 100 are granted review, according to Britannica.
- The decision to hear a case follows the 'Rule of Four': at least four of the nine Justices must vote for certiorari, as described by US Courts.
- The Court’s choices are discretionary, not mandatory; most petitions are denied without explanation, as noted by the Legal Information Institute.
- Cases with national significance, inconsistencies among lower courts, or federal legal importance are prioritized. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts notes, "The Court usually only does so if the case could have national significance, might harmonize conflicting decisions in the federal Circuit courts, and/or could have precedential value."
The Court’s term begins on the first Monday in October and wraps up in late June or early July. The internal process is confidential, but its rulings set legal benchmarks nationwide.
Legal professionals should focus on circuit splits and broad federal questions when crafting petitions for review, as these factors weigh heavily in case selection.
By the numbers:
- 7,000–10,000 — Annual certiorari petitions to SCOTUS
- 80–100 — Cases the Court grants per term
- 4 — Justices required for certiorari vote