<P> Nearly all cases come before the court by way of petitions for writs of certiorari , commonly referred to as `` cert '' . The Court may review any case in the federal courts of appeals `` by writ of certiorari granted upon the petition of any party to any civil or criminal case . '' Court may only review `` final judgments rendered by the highest court of a state in which a decision could be had '' if those judgments involve a question of federal statutory or constitutional law . The party that appealed to the Court is the petitioner and the non-mover is the respondent . All case names before the Court are styled petitioner v. respondent , regardless of which party initiated the lawsuit in the trial court . For example , criminal prosecutions are brought in the name of the state and against an individual , as in State of Arizona v. Ernesto Miranda . If the defendant is convicted , and his conviction then is affirmed on appeal in the state supreme court , when he petitions for cert the name of the case becomes Miranda v. Arizona . </P>
<P> Nearly all cases come before the court by way of petitions for writs of certiorari , commonly referred to as `` cert '' . The Court may review any case in the federal courts of appeals `` by writ of certiorari granted upon the petition of any party to any civil or criminal case . '' Court may only review `` final judgments rendered by the highest court of a state in which a decision could be had '' if those judgments involve a question of federal statutory or constitutional law . The party that appealed to the Court is the petitioner and the non-mover is the respondent . All case names before the Court are styled petitioner v. respondent , regardless of which party initiated the lawsuit in the trial court . For example , criminal prosecutions are brought in the name of the state and against an individual , as in State of Arizona v. Ernesto Miranda . If the defendant is convicted , and his conviction then is affirmed on appeal in the state supreme court , when he petitions for cert the name of the case becomes Miranda v. Arizona . </P>
where do a majority of supreme court cases come from
where do a majority of supreme court cases come from
by way of petitions for writs of certiorari
by way of petitions for writs of certiorari