Legal Definitions - four, rule of

The rule of four is a convention in the United States Supreme Court that requires at least four justices to vote in favor of granting a writ of certiorari for a case to be heard by the court. A writ of certiorari is a request for the court to review a lower court's decision.

For example, if a party wants the Supreme Court to review a decision made by a federal court of appeals, they must file a petition for a writ of certiorari. If at least four justices vote in favor of granting the writ, the case will be heard by the Supreme Court.

The rule of four ensures that the Supreme Court does not waste its time and resources on cases that do not have significant legal implications or do not involve important constitutional issues. It also allows the court to focus on cases that have a greater impact on society.