Final answer:
The Supreme Court might review a case because the justices do not publicly disclose their rationale for case selection. They grant a writ of certiorari for cases with constitutional issues or differing law interpretations, and at least four justices must agree on hearing a case. The complex U.S. judicial system provides multiple paths for cases to reach the Supreme Court.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is difficult to predict which case or type of case the Supreme Court might review because the justices never explain their reasons for hearing certain cases and not others. The Supreme Court receives thousands of petitions every year but selects only a small percentage based on a writ of certiorari, where there must be a constitutional question or differing interpretations of law for a case to be considered. Factors influencing their selection include the significance of the legal questions involved, the need to resolve splits among different lower courts, and the broader importance of the issue to the public.
Most cases come to the Supreme Court on appeal from lower courts such as the US Court of Appeals or a state Supreme Court. To have a case heard, a petition for a writ of certiorari must be filed and granted. The decision to grant certiorari requires the agreement of at least four justices. Once a case is accepted, the justices hold private conferences to discuss and vote on it, and the results are eventually made public.
The U.S. judicial system has a dual court model with both federal and state courts, adding further complexity to how cases might progress to the Supreme Court, which sits at the top of this system. The Court's decisions have far-reaching implications for legal and constitutional interpretations for the future.