The United States Supreme Court - Essay Example

These are cases that appeal the judgment of lower courts. The United States Supreme Court will only hear a case from the lower courts once it has merited a need for review. (Jennings, M., 2008) A writ of certiorari must be filed. Because of this, only a small number of cases are heard by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court does not waste its time on conflicts between individual parties. It focuses its efforts more on questions regarding the interpretation of the constitution and federal law. 

The Supreme Court may hear a case when a U.S. court of appeals a) has made a decision that conflicts with one made by another U.S. court of appeals or the state court of last resort or b) has made a decision that is far from the accepted and usual proceedings or ordered a lower court to do so (Supreme Court of the United States, 2010). Other instances where the Supreme Court may hear a case is when a) a state court makes a decision that conflicts with one made by another state court of last resort, a U.S. court of appeals or the Supreme Court; or b) has made a decision that should be made by the Supreme Court (Supreme Court of the United States, 2010).

I am of the opinion that appeals to the Supreme Court are not too limited. Indeed, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. Since the Constitution does not come with instructions on how people are to interpret some of its provisions, the Supreme Court’s decisions serve as the people’s manual. (Samaha, J., 2005)The decisions it makes which are based on the Constitution and federal law are considered final. If each and every case is heard by the Supreme Court, then it would appear to be like a regular trial court.

The United States has a vast territory. For its judicial system to run smoothly, the task of interpreting the law of the land cannot be dependent on just one body. As in any large corporation, there should be a hierarchy in the U.S. court system. Thus, each state has lower courts to implement the Constitution and other laws each state may find necessary to have. The system is very efficient and practical.

With the opportunity to file a petition for review, everyone is given the chance to be heard by the Supreme Court. This can already be considered a kind of appeal. With the automatic appeal, however, there would be no sense of order in the court system.