17. Describe the process by which a case is accepted and heard by the Supreme Court.

Your file will go to a pool of Supreme Court clerks, who will review all of the documents, summarize them for the justices, and include a recommendation on whether to take the case. The justices then make a final decision. If they decide to hear a case, they will issue a "writ of certiorari."

They only take about 12 per year.