Final answer:
Cases in the U.S. legal system start at the district or trial court level, move to the appellate or circuit courts upon appeal, and can finally reach the U.S. Supreme Court if a writ of certiorari is granted. State court cases can similarly move to the U.S. Supreme Court when they involve federal questions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The order of courts that a case moves through before reaching the highest court, which is the U.S. Supreme Court, starts at the lowest federal level with the U.S. District Courts (trial courts). If a party loses the case, they may appeal to the middle tier, the U.S. Courts of Appeals (circuit courts). Lastly, if the case is significant, particularly involving constitutional questions or federal law, the justices of the Supreme Court may grant a writ of certiorari to review the case. State courts have a similar structure with trial courts at the base, appellate courts in the middle, and the state's supreme court at the top. Cases from state supreme courts can also move to the U.S. Supreme Court when federal questions are involved.