POSC150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: United States Congress, Cloture, Precedent
2 Mar 2018
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Normally you need to work your way up through the appeals process to get to. District court circuit court of appeals. Trial court appellate court state supreme. In some circumstances, scotus will act as a trial court because it has original. It can choose which cases it will hear. Petition for court to hear appeal from lower court decision. Scotus hears less than 1% of cases brought to lower courts. Case has not already been resolved by some other means. Opportunity to correct lower courts, clarify issues, or re-establish precedent. Identity of petitioner (person initiating the lawsuit (participating)) Very likely to hear appeals from federal government - solicitor general. Prefer cases that will have a broad impact or are timely. Judges don"t like ambiguity in the law - want to settle differences in lower courts. Judges may decide to personally withdraw themselves from hearing a case. When a decision would affect their self-interest substantially.
