Final answer:
The U.S. Supreme Court hears many cases from the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Most cases reach the Supreme Court through a writ of certiorari that raises significant constitutional or legal questions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Of the cases accepted for review, many come from the U.S. Courts of Appeals. These appellate courts function as intermediate courts in the federal system, reviewing decisions from the trial, or district courts, within their specific geographic circuits. The U.S. Courts of Appeals comprise 11 regional circuits, along with the D.C. Circuit and the Federal Circuit, totaling 13 appellate courts. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court hears fewer than 100 cases annually, and most arise from appellate decisions made in these circuits, or state supreme courts when there's a federal issue at hand.
All cases that reach the Supreme Court are generally from a lower court, like the U.S. Court of Appeals or a state supreme court. The selection of cases for the Supreme Court's review is largely based on the writ of certiorari, with the justices only accepting those involving constitutional issues or significant legal questions. It should be noted that while the Supreme Court has the power to hear appeals, the decision to do so is selective, with the vast majority of appeals not being granted review.