👩🏾‍⚖️ap us government review

Rule of four

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 examWritten by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025

Definition

A Supreme Court practice allowing a minority of the nine justices to vote to grant a writ of certiorari, thereby placing a case on the Court’s discretionary docket for full review. Although not specified in the Constitution, this long-standing internal rule shapes which controversies reach the federal judiciary and preserves minority-justice access to Supreme Court review, influencing national legal development.

AP course connection

Topic 2.1: 2.10 The Court in Action

Unit 2

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