 One of the primary functions of the Supreme Court of the United States is to ensure that laws are interpreted uniformly among intermediate courts of appeal . Unless the legislature takes action , the United States Supreme Court is the only source of resolution for conflicts among intermediate courts of appeal . Consequently , the existence of a circuit split may be a key factor when the Supreme Court decides whether to accept a case . Although the Court always maintains discretion over whether it should grant review of a case , the Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States specifically state that the existence of a circuit split is one of the factors the Court considers when deciding whether to grant review . Philip Allen Lacovara and H.W. Perry both claim that the existence of a circuit split is " the single most important generalizable factor " that determines whether the Supreme Court will grant review of a case . 
