Glossary
Certiorari before judgment
Supreme Court glossaryAll terms
Definition
Certiorari before judgment lets the Supreme Court take a case before the federal court of appeals has ruled on it.
Why it matters
It skips a step, so the Court can settle an urgent question months or even years sooner than usual.
In practice
The Court's rules save it for cases so important that they need an answer right away. Once rare, it has become more common in recent years.
Look for the appeals court case the Court took over and the question it agreed to decide.
Common confusion
It is still full review, with briefs and oral argument. Only the court of appeals step is skipped.