Conference

Conference in the United States

A group meeting of all nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. The conference is the place where important Court business is conducted and is used at a number of stages in the decision process. The conference is used to consider appeals, writs of certiorari, and indigent prisoner {in forma pauperis) petitions. These are essentially jurisdictional or screening decisions through which the court determines which cases it will review. Only a small proportion of cases seeking review by the Court are actually considered on the merits. Once a case is accepted for review, the Court will examine the briefs that have been filed and hear oral arguments. Following oral argument, the justices discuss the case in conference. A nonbinding vote is taken and the task of writing the majority opinion is assigned. Votes taken on cases become final only when a justice actually agrees to the language of the opinion offered on behalf of the majority position. The discussion begun in conference continues even after opinion assignments have been made and draft opinions are circulated.

See Also

certiorari, 261; Group Processes (Apellate Judicial Process) Screening Criteria (Apellate Judicial Process).

Analysis and Relevance

The conference is considered by many to be the core of the Court’s decisional process. It is in the conference that the justices engage in rather intensive discussion with one another. The process yields decisions on cases to review and basic “on the merits” decisions on cases reviewed. The conference discussion not only shapes voting alignments, but also the substance of the majority opinion. The conference sessions occupy the better part of two work days per week during the period the Court hears oral arguments. The conference is closed to everyone but the justices. When the conference is entertaining docket issues especially, the chief justice facilitates the process by fashioning an agenda and by pre-screening the petitions. In this way, many petitions regarded as “frivolous” may be summarily denied. Use of the conference is not confined to the U.S. Supreme Court. Rather, it is a technique employed by most state courts of last resort.

Notes and References

  1. Definition of Conference from the American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Conference Definition

In French Law. A similarity between two laws or two systems of laws. In International Law. Verbal explanations between the representatives of at least two nations, for the purpose of accelerating matters by avoiding the delays and other difficulties necessarily attending written communications. In Legislation. Mutual consultations by two committees appointed, one by each house of a legislature, in cases where the houses cannot agree in their action.

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Legal Issue for Attorneys

In French Law. A similarity between two laws or two systems of laws. In International Law. Verbal explanations between the representatives of at least two nations, for the purpose of accelerating matters by avoiding the delays and other difficulties necessarily attending written communications. In Legislation. Mutual consultations by two committees appointed, one by each house of a legislature, in cases where the houses cannot agree in their action.

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Notice

This definition of Conference Is based on the The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary . This definition needs to be proofread..

Conference

United States Constitution

According to the Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, about its article titled 506 CONFERENCEWhen the Justices of the Supreme Court refer to themselves in the aggregate as “the Conference” as distinguished from “the Court” they are alluding to their deliberative functions in reaching decisions. The Conference considers, discusses, even negotiates; the Court acts.The name comes
(read more about Constitutional law entries here).

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