A formal document issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court, directing it to send the records of a case for review. This action signifies the Supreme Court’s agreement to hear an appeal from that lower court. The issuance of this order is not automatic; the Supreme Court exercises discretion in selecting the cases it will review, typically choosing those involving significant constitutional questions or conflicting interpretations of federal law across different jurisdictions. For example, if a circuit court rules one way on a specific federal statute and another circuit court rules differently, the Supreme Court may grant this order to resolve the conflict and establish a uniform national standard.
The significance of this legal instrument lies in its role as a critical component of the Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction and its power to shape national legal policy. By selectively granting these orders, the Supreme Court can focus its limited resources on the most pressing and consequential legal issues facing the nation. Historically, the development and utilization of this mechanism has allowed the Supreme Court to evolve from a court primarily concerned with resolving private disputes to a court that serves as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional and federal law. The power to grant or deny requests for review provides the Court with considerable influence over the development of legal precedent and the direction of legal thought.
