Government Glossary

Certiorari

Short Definition

Certiorari is a procedure by which a higher court, especially the Supreme Court, agrees to review a lower-court decision.

Long Explanation

The term matters because most appeals are not automatically heard by the Supreme Court. When the Court grants certiorari, it has chosen to review the case; when it denies certiorari, the lower-court decision usually remains in place without the Supreme Court deciding the merits.

When you see this term, ask which public body is acting, what legal authority it is using, and where the official record can be verified.

In practice, Certiorari is useful because it helps a visitor connect a word or phrase to court procedure, legal rights, opinions, appeals, or judicial review. When you see the term in an official source, ask which office has authority, what decision is being made, which deadline or rule matters, and where the public record can be checked.

Examples

Simple exampleA visitor sees “Certiorari” in a court explanation and checks the opinion, docket, or court glossary to understand the legal step being described.

Civic exampleA reader comparing two cases separates the facts, the legal question, the decision, and the impact before deciding what the case means.

Common Misconception

A common mistake is treating Certiorari as the whole legal answer. Legal terms often depend on the facts, the court, the procedural stage, and the exact language of the opinion or rule.

Related Terms

CourtsJudicialSupreme Court

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