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The only cases that currently go directly to the US Supreme Court under original (trial) jurisdiction are disputes between the states. The Court may elect to hear cases brought against ambassadors under original jurisdiction at their discretion, but typically allow the US District Courts to hold trials for those cases.

Explanation

The U.S. Supreme Court functions primarily as an appellate court; however, there are a limited number of cases for which they have original jurisdiction. Article III, Section 2 lists the following types of legal disputes under the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction:

  1. all cases between two or more States;
  2. all cases affecting Ambassadors, other public ministers and Consuls;

Disputes between the states are heard exclusively by the Supreme Court, but Congress amended federal law to allow US District Courts to hold concurrent original jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors, etc.

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12y ago
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13y ago

A case may be appealed to the US Supreme Court if the case involves a preserved federal question, only after all other avenues of appeal are exhausted, unless there is a compelling reason for the case to go directly from the trial court to the Supreme Court. Compelling reasons may include legislation requiring expedited appeal, or expediency if the case involves major constitutional issues and is clearly destined for the Supreme Court anyway.

A preserved federal question is an issue of (often unclear or unresolved) federal or constitutional law that has been raised at every judicial level, from the trial court through appeals.

Such cases may be petitioned to the US Supreme Court from either the state or federal court system.

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13y ago

Cases are heard by the Supreme Court first when they involve:

Two or more states

The United States and a state

Foreign ambassadors and other diplomats

a state and a citizen of another state (if the action is begun by the state)

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13y ago

Disputes between two or more states go straight to the Supreme Court, because they have original (trial) and exclusive jurisdiction over those cases.

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Q: When can a case go straight to the supreme court?
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Continue Learning about American Government

What happens if the Supreme Court refuses to hear a case on appeal from the lower courts?

The ruling of the court below the Supreme Court will be upheld. The Supreme Court is similar to an appeals court. If they don't want to take the case, then whatever the court ruling was will stand.


What has to happen for the Supreme Court to hear a case from a US District Court?

Generally, the US Supreme Court will hear a case from US District Court on direct or expedited appeal if:The case is of such national or constitutional importance it would clearly be appealed to and accepted by the Supreme Court anyway; orThe case involves legislation in which Congress specified appeals of District Court decisions must go directly to the Supreme Court (bypassing the Circuit Court).


Highest court in the judicial branch?

The simple answer is "the Supreme Court," but that isn't entirely accurate.If the case involves federal law, then the United States Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority.If the case involves state law then the state's highest court is on "top." Usually this court is called the state supreme court, such as the California Supreme Court, but it might be called something else. Massachusetts calls its top court the Supreme Judicial Court, and New York calls its highest court the Court of Appeals. Interestingly, a supreme court in New York is an ordinary trial court.On a question purely of state law, not even the United States Supreme Court can go against the highest court of the state.


3 ways cases reach the supreme court?

Under original (trial) jurisdiction (disputes between the states);Under appellate jurisdiction from federal courts;Under appellate jurisdiction from the states if the other avenues of appeal have been exhausted and the case involves a preserved federal question.


Which party files in order to get a case before the US Supreme Court?

Typically, whoever lost the last appeal petitions the Supreme Court to hear the case; however, either party may file.If the Court grants certiorari (agrees to hear the case), the appellant (party appealing the case) has an advantage when filing briefs and during oral arguments because they get to go first and rebut (answer) the opposing party's argument after the other party has spoken. If a case is clearly headed to the Supreme Court on appeal, both parties attempt to gain an edge by preempting the other.

Related questions

What happens if the Supreme Court refuses to hear a case on appeal from the lower courts?

The ruling of the court below the Supreme Court will be upheld. The Supreme Court is similar to an appeals court. If they don't want to take the case, then whatever the court ruling was will stand.


In the movie La Amistad why did the case had to go to the supreme court?

because they kept on changing the judge seeing that the case was never going to end it caught the attention of the supreme court.


What has to happen for the Supreme Court to hear a case from a US District Court?

Generally, the US Supreme Court will hear a case from US District Court on direct or expedited appeal if:The case is of such national or constitutional importance it would clearly be appealed to and accepted by the Supreme Court anyway; orThe case involves legislation in which Congress specified appeals of District Court decisions must go directly to the Supreme Court (bypassing the Circuit Court).


What happens after a case goes on the supreme cour's docket?

There are various steps that lead to a Supreme Court hearing. First of all, the case begins in the lower courts. If unhappy with the decision reached in this court, the case can be appealed before US Court of Appeals. If this doesn't go well, the defendant can request a rehearing or petition the Supreme Court. A petition of certiorari has to be filed, this will ask the Supreme Court to hear the case. At this point, the Court will either agree to hear the case, or reject it.


How does your case reach supreme court?

The Supreme Court gets to decide if they want to hear it. It has to go through the entire legal process first, though.


Did the US Supreme Court ever hear a case that did not go through the lower courts first?

Yes. There are very limited cases where the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction.


How do you search the case law of supreme court of India?

Searching Supreme Court LawJust go to the following linkhttp://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/chejudis.aspIt contains all judgments from 1950.You can search with case no parties name keywords etc.in addition if you need any Judgments other than supreme court go to http://www.indiancourts.nic.in/


When should a person go to the Supreme Court?

Generally you can go to the Supreme Court only as a tourist. The Supreme Court decides if your case will be heard by them, but it must first progress theough the entire levels of the appropriate court system (state or federal) in order to even reach them for their consideration, IF they choose to hear it.


When are Supreme Court cases heard?

The Supreme Court is the court of last resort. When all appeals and lower courts have heard and ruled on a case it may go to the Supreme Court, but the court doesn’t have to hear it and may let the lower ruling stand or kick it back to the lower federal court.


Why don't the easy cases reach the supreme court?

The U.S. Supreme Court was originally created to decide the constituionality of laws. They are supposed to bring the case down to the basic question of law and then render a decision. So easy cases are never heard because the basis for decions has never been challenged because it is straight forward. The process to reach the supreme court is also lengthy. There are several appellate courts that the case has to go through to get to the phase where the supreme court can even consider it. Then they get to decide if the case deserves a review. Often times the supreme court renders decisions based on interpretation of law and that can be biased. Also social influences can have an affect on the outcome of cases. This is especially true in cases that involve terrorism. The only cases that the supreme court can render on as the first or original court are those cases involving disputes between states.


Who was the first man to go to the supreme court?

Roy Wilkins was the first man to go to the supreme court.


What steps do cases go through to reach the Supreme Court?

The case must first be heard at the lowest level of court. Most states have a court system that exists in the same area as a federal magistrate court or federal district court. The case must be decided by the lower court and appealed to a higher court. In the federal system this is the circuit court. Once all the lower courts have been exhausted, the lawyers may apply to be heard by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will determine which cases it will hear.