Final answer:
The U.S. Supreme Court hears the fewest cases per year, typically fewer than one hundred, as it chooses cases that have the greatest legal significance or where there is a need for a uniform interpretation of law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The entity that hears the fewest cases per year among the options provided is the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite being the highest court in the land and the center of much public attention, it hears fewer than a hundred cases annually.
This is because the U.S. Supreme Court selects a small number of cases that present the most significant legal questions or where there is a discrepancy in the interpretation of law among lower courts, to ensure a uniform understanding of the law across the United States.
In comparison, the U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts handle a much higher volume of cases. The U.S. District Courts serve as the trial courts where most federal cases begin, and there are 94 district courts across the nation.
Then there are the U.S. Courts of Appeals, which are the intermediate appellate courts that review district court decisions; there are thirteen courts of appeals comprised of rotating three-judge panels. Finally, state courts, including State Supreme Courts, handle a hefty majority of the nation's cases because they deal with a wide array of legal matters under state jurisdiction.