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Much research is devoted to the decision-making power and precedent set by the Supreme Court. Less attention, however, is given to the strategic behavior during case selection. This book argues that case selection is done strategically, and by means of various criteria - influencing its constitutional position and importance.

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1. Introduction 2. The History and Institutions of Certiorari 3. The Theoretical Framework: Strategic Case Selection on the Court 4. Voting Contingents, Cert Pivots and Voting Volatility 5. Strategic Votes on Cert: Evidence from Justices´ Papers 6. Opinion Authorship and Strategic Cert 7. Conclusions Appendix 1: SIMEX Computations Appendix 2: The Judiciary Act of 1925 Appendix 3: Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States Appendix 4: Original Material and Documents

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Udi Sommer teaches political science at Tel Aviv University, Israel. His broad research interests are in American and comparative politics, public law and political methodology. He specializes in the analysis of political institutions and legal evolution. His scholarship has appeared in publications such as Comparative Political Studies, The Law and Society Review, the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, Political Studies, Judicature, Rationality and Society, and the Justice System Journal.

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