Writ of Certiorari
Definition
A writ of certiorari is an order issued by higher court directing lower court to send up the record of a case for review.
Analogy
Imagine you're a teacher and one student's test score seems unusually low. You ask to see their test paper to review it yourself. That's like issuing a writ of certiorari.
Related terms
Appellate Jurisdiction: The power of a higher court to review decisions and change outcomes of decisions made by lower courts.
Original Jurisdiction: The power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court.
Judicial Review: The ability of Supreme Court to declare an act of Congress or executive branch unconstitutional.
"Writ of Certiorari" appears in:
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