Most appeals are made on grounds that the judge has made an error in declaring the law that applies to the facts of the case. The opposing attorney is given copies of the documents and has a short time to file a written statement in opposition. If four justices vote to grant the petition, the court agrees to hear the case. The court controls its workload by granting only a small percentage of requests for a writ of certiorari. The court in action Pleading cases before the Supreme Court is normally done by attorneys who have been admitted to the bar of the court.
Most litigants hire and pay their own attorneys.
If a litigant has no money, free legal service may be provided. When the U.S. government has an interest in a case before the Supreme Court, it is usually represented by the solicitor general or members of the solicitor general's staff. The attorney general of the United States will sometimes argue an important case. The justices decide a case after they have considered written and oral arguments from each side. The written argument is called a brief.