Home > West's Encyclopedia of American Law > Certiorari

[Latin, To be informed of.] At COMMON LAW, an original writ or order issued by the Chancery or King's Bench, commanding officers of inferior courts to submit the record of a cause pending before them to give the party more certain and speedy justice.

A writ that a superior appellate court issues in its discretion to an inferior court, ordering it to produce a certified record of a particular case it has tried, in order to determine whether any irregularities or errors occurred that justify review of the case.

A device by which the SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES exercises its discretion in selecting the cases it will review.

Certiorari is an extraordinary prerogative writ granted in cases that otherwise would not be...