Supreme Court and Certiorari Quiz

What is a majority opinion?

• A written statement that sets the precedent for other courts

• An opinion issued by justices who disagree with the majority

• A statement that resolves conflicting rulings between lower courts

• A legal principle that has been settled by the Supreme Court

When may justices write a concurring opinion?

• When they agree with the majority but for different reasons

• When they disagree with the majority opinion

• When they want to correct errors of lower court judges

• When they want to clarify the law

What is the purpose of a dissenting opinion?

• To state the reasons for disagreement with the majority opinion

• To set the precedent for other courts to follow

• To resolve conflicting rulings between lower courts

• To correct errors of lower court judges

What does granting certiorari mean?

• An order to send all records of the original trial to the appellate court

• An order to hear and decide a case by the Supreme Court

• An order to resolve conflicting rulings between lower courts

• An order to clarify an important question of federal law

How does the Supreme Court decide which cases to hear?

• By using the rule of four and granting certiorari

• By resolving conflicting rulings between lower courts

• By correcting errors of lower court judges

• By clarifying the law

What is the rule of four?

• If four justices vote to grant certiorari, the case will be heard

• If four justices vote to deny certiorari, the case will be heard

• If four justices vote to grant certiorari, the case will be denied

• If four justices vote to deny certiorari, the case will be denied

What percentage of petitions for certiorari are typically denied?

• 99%

• 90%

• 50%

• 10%

What is the main criterion for the Supreme Court to grant certiorari?

• Circuit conflict or split among lower courts

• Importance of the case to the federal government

• Egregious legal errors in lower courts

• Number of amicus curiae briefs filed

What is a circuit conflict or split?

• A disagreement among lower courts on an issue

• A disagreement between the Supreme Court and lower courts

• A disagreement between state and federal courts

• A disagreement between the executive and legislative branches

What is the importance of a case to attract the Supreme Court's attention?

• Political and societal impact of the decision

• Importance to the state government

• Unusual or 'one of a kind' nature of the case

• All of the above