Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A certiorari petition is a formal written request presented to an appellate court asking for discretionary review. It is a type of petition that seeks permission for the court to review a lower court's decision. Other types of petitions include debtor's petition, involuntary petition, juvenile petition, petition for probate, and voluntary petition. In some states, a petition can also refer to the first pleading in a lawsuit, which is a complaint. In patents, a petition is a request made by a patent applicant to a patent office's administrative head for supervision of a procedural or jurisdictional matter related to the patent application.
Definition: A certiorari petition is a formal written request presented to an appellate court seeking discretionary review. It is a type of petition that asks the court to review a lower court's decision.
These examples illustrate how a petition is a formal written request presented to a court or other official body. Each type of petition serves a different purpose, such as seeking protection from creditors or requesting that a will be admitted to probate. A certiorari petition specifically seeks discretionary review from an appellate court.