This is a list of the number of United States Supreme Court decisions issued by calendar year [lower-alpha 1] as published in the official United States Reports . The third column below lists which of the volumes of the Reports include cases for each calendar year.
Prior to passage of the Judiciary Act of 1925 the Supreme Court reviewed almost all cases sent to it. After 1925, most cases have been subject to being granted a writ of certiorari which the Court can grant or deny without ruling on the merits. This change greatly reduced the Court's workload. [1] [2] In the past decade, approximately 7,000-8,000 new cases are filed in the Supreme Court each year. Plenary review, with oral arguments by attorneys, is granted in about 80 of those cases, and the Court typically disposes of about 100 or more cases without plenary review — fewer than 3% of the total. [3]
Year | Cases Decided | United States Reports Volumes |
---|---|---|
1791 | 4 | 2 |
1792 | 3 | 2 |
1793 | 2 | 2 |
1794 | 1 | 3 |
1795 | 6 | 3 |
1796 | 16 | 3 |
1797 | 8 | 3 |
1798 | 5 | 3 |
1799 | 9 | 3, 4 |
1800 | 10 | 4 |
1801 | 5 | 5 |
1802 | 0 | — |
1803 | 19 | 5 |
1804 | 14 | 6 |
1805 | 24 | 6, 7 |
1806 | 28 | 7 |
1807 | 19 | 8 |
1808 | 32 | 8 |
1809 | 46 | 9 |
1810 | 39 | 10 |
1811 | 0 | — |
1812 | 40 | 11 |
1813 | 46 | 11 |
1814 | 48 | 12 |
1815 | 40 | 13 |
1816 | 43 | 14 |
1817 | 42 | 15 |
1818 | 38 | 16 |
1819 | 33 | 17 |
1820 | 27 | 18 |
1821 | 41 | 19 |
1822 | 31 | 20 |
1823 | 30 | 21 |
1824 | 41 | 22 |
1825 | 28 | 23, 24 |
1826 | 32 | 24 |
1827 | 47 | 25 |
1828 | 55 | 26 |
1829 | 44 | 27 |
1830 | 58 | 28, 29 |
1831 | 42 | 30 |
1832 | 56 | 31 |
1833 | 41 | 32 |
1834 | 62 | 33 |
1835 | 41 | 34 |
1836 | 52 | 35 |
1837 | 20 | 36 |
1838 | 41 | 37 |
1839 | 49 | 38 |
1840 | 43 | 39 |
1841 | 30 | 40 |
1842 | 44 | 41 |
1843 | 31 | 42 |
1844 | 46 | 43, 44 |
1845 | 55 | 44, 45 |
1846 | 42 | 45, 46 |
1847 | 35 | 46, 47 |
1848 | 33 | 47, 48 |
1849 | 43 | 48, 49 |
1850 | 89 | 49, 50, 51, 52 |
1851 | 86 | 51, 52, 53 |
1852 | 97 | 53, 54, 55, 154 |
1853 | 53 | 55, 56, 57, 154 |
1854 | 82 | 56, 57, 58 |
1855 | 69 | 58, 59 |
1856 | 94 | 59, 60 |
1857 | 58 | 60, 61 |
1858 | 75 | 61, 62, 139 |
1859 | 71 | 62, 63, 64 |
1860 | 109 | 63, 64, 65, 154 |
1861 | 68 | 65, 66 |
1862 | 74 | 66, 67, 113 |
1863 | 40 | 67, 68 |
1864 | 81 | 68, 69, 154 |
1865 | 61 | 69, 70, 72, 112, 154 |
1866 | 91 | 70, 71, 72, 154 |
1867 | 134 | 71, 72, 73, 78 |
1868 | 82 | 73, 113 |
1869 | 159 | 74, 75, 77, 78, 154 |
1870 | 154 | 76, 77, 79, 81, 154 |
1871 | 146 | 77, 78, 79, 81 |
1872 | 160 | 79, 80, 81, 83, 154 |
1873 | 243 | 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 154 |
1874 | 189 | 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 154 |
1875 | 172 | 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 154 |
1876 | 241 | 91, 92, 93, 94, 154 |
1877 | 238 | 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 154 |
1878 | 222 | 95, 96, 97, 98, 154 |
1879 | 201 | 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 113, 154 |
1880 | 229 | 100, 101, 102, 103, 113, 137, 153, 154 |
1881 | 210 | 102, 103, 104, 105, 154 |
1882 | 248 | 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 154 |
1883 | 264 | 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 |
1884 | 273 | 109, 110, 111, 112, 118 |
1885 | 271 | 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 |
1886 | 278 | 116, 117, 118, 119 |
1887 | 299 | 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125 |
1888 | 294 | 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 131 |
1889 | 249 | 129, 130, 131, 132, 136 |
1890 | 280 | 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 141 |
1891 | 301 | 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 190 |
1892 | 253 | 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 149 |
1893 | 274 | 147, 148, 149, 150 |
1894 | 261 | 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 |
1895 | 272 | 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 183 |
1896 | 244 | 160, 161, 162, 163, 164 |
1897 | 213 | 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 |
1898 | 172 | 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 179 |
1899 | 195 | 172, 173, 174, 175, 176 |
1900 | 233 | 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181 |
1901 | 158 | 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 190 |
1902 | 198 | 183, 184, 185, 186, 187 |
1903 | 227 | 187, 188, 189, 190, 191 |
1904 | 207 | 192, 193, 194, 195, 196 |
1905 | 194 | 196, 197, 198, 199 |
1906 | 189 | 200, 201, 202, 203 |
1907 | 190 | 204, 205, 206, 207 |
1908 | 176 | 207, 208, 209, 210, 211 |
1909 | 181 | 211, 212, 213, 214, 215 |
1910 | 185 | 215, 216, 217, 218, 219 |
1911 | 176 | 219, 220, 221, 222 |
1912 | 230 | 222, 223, 224, 225, 226 |
1913 | 312 | 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231 |
1914 | 286 | 231, 232, 233, 234, 235 |
1915 | 288 | 235, 236, 237, 238, 239 |
1916 | 222 | 239, 240, 241, 242 |
1917 | 220 | 242, 243, 244, 245 |
1918 | 200 | 245, 246, 247, 248 |
1919 | 235 | 248, 249, 250, 251 |
1920 | 195 | 251, 252, 253, 254 |
1921 | 212 | 254, 255, 256, 257 |
1922 | 191 | 257, 258, 259, 260 |
1923 | 227 | 260, 261, 262, 263 |
1924 | 221 | 263, 264, 265, 266 |
1925 | 222 | 266, 267, 268, 269 |
1926 | 215 | 269, 270, 271, 272 |
1927 | 199 | 272, 273, 274, 275 |
1928 | 150 | 275, 276, 277, 278 |
1929 | 131 | 278, 279, 280 |
1930 | 137 | 280, 281, 282 |
1931 | 177 | 281, 282, 283, 284 |
1932 | 171 | 284, 285, 286, 287 |
1933 | 164 | 287, 288, 289, 290 |
1934 | 171 | 290, 291, 292, 293 |
1935 | 173 | 293, 294, 295, 296 |
1936 | 156 | 296, 297, 298, 299 |
1937 | 155 | 299, 300, 301, 302 |
1938 | 165 | 302, 303, 304, 305 |
1939 | 152 | 305, 306, 307, 308 |
1940 | 151 | 308, 309, 310, 311 |
1941 | 156 | 311, 312, 313, 314 |
1942 | 160 | 314, 315, 316, 317 |
1943 | 167 | 317, 318, 319, 320 |
1944 | 136 | 320, 321, 322, 323 |
1945 | 158 | 323, 324, 325, 326 |
1946 | 140 | 326, 327, 328, 329 |
1947 | 136 | 329, 330, 331, 332 |
1948 | 117 | 332, 333, 334, 335, 338 |
1949 | 131 | 335, 336, 337, 338 |
1950 | 93 | 338, 339, 340 |
1951 | 99 | 340, 341, 342 |
1952 | 107 | 342, 343, 344 |
1953 | 106 | 344, 345, 346 |
1954 | 78 | 346, 347, 348 |
1955 | 78 | 348, 349, 350 |
1956 | 97 | 350, 351, 352 |
1957 | 183 | 352, 353, 354, 355 |
1958 | 261 | 355, 356, 357, 358 |
1959 | 252 | 358, 359, 360, 361 |
1960 | 238 | 361, 362, 363, 364 |
1961 | 271 | 364, 365, 366, 367, 368 |
1962 | 248 | 368, 369, 370, 371 |
1963 | 377 | 371, 372, 373, 374, 375 |
1964 | 325 | 375, 376, 377, 378, 379 |
1965 | 279 | 379, 380, 381, 382 |
1966 | 299 | 382, 383, 384, 385 |
1967 | 370 | 385, 386, 387, 388, 389 |
1968 | 361 | 389, 390, 391, 392, 393 |
1969 | 323 | 393, 394, 395, 396 |
1970 | 248 | 396, 397, 398, 399, 400 |
1971 | 182 | 400, 401, 402, 403, 404 |
1972 | 188 | 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409 |
1973 | 194 | 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414 |
1974 | 168 | 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419 |
1975 | 163 | 419, 420, 421, 422, 423 |
1976 | 202 | 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429 |
1977 | 184 | 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434 |
1978 | 185 | 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439 |
1979 | 163 | 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444 |
1980 | 178 | 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449 |
1981 | 165 | 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454 |
1982 | 182 | 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459 |
1983 | 181 | 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464 |
1984 | 186 | 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469 |
1985 | 184 | 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474 |
1986 | 171 | 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479 |
1987 | 108 | 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484 |
1988 | 143 | 484, 485, 486, 487, 488 |
1989 | 154 | 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493 |
1990 | 144 | 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498 |
1991 | 136 | 498, 499, 500, 501, 502 |
1992 | 118 | 502, 503, 504, 505, 506 |
1993 | 123 | 506, 507, 508, 509, 510 |
1994 | 101 | 510, 511, 512, 513 |
1995 | 99 | 513, 514, 515, 516 |
1996 | 96 | 516, 517, 518, 519 |
1997 | 99 | 519, 520, 521, 522 |
1998 | 99 | 522, 523, 524, 525 |
1999 | 94 | 525, 526, 527, 528 |
2000 | 84 | 528, 529, 530, 531 |
2001 | 90 | 531, 532, 533, 534 |
2002 | 89 | 534, 535, 536, 537 |
2003 | 84 | 537, 538, 539, 540 |
2004 | 84 | 540, 541, 542, 543 |
2005 | 85 | 543, 544, 545, 546 |
2006 | 81 | 546, 547, 548, 549 |
2007 | 75 | 549, 550, 551, 552 |
2008 | 116 | 552, 553, 554, 555, 556 |
2009 | 51 | 555, 556, 557, 558 |
2010 | 81 | 558, 559, 560, 561, 562 |
2011 | 87 | 562, 563, 564, 565 |
2012 | 79 | 565, 566, 567, 568 |
2013 | 82 | 568, 569, 570, 571 |
2014 | 73 | 571, 572, 573, 574 |
2015 | 73 | 574, 575, 576, 577 |
2016 | 81 | 577, 578, 579, 580 |
2017 | 68 | 580, 581, 582, 583 |
2018 | 72 | 583, 584, 585, 586 |
2019 | 73 | 586, 587, 588, 589 |
2020 | 68 | 589, 590, 591, 592 |
2021 | 77 | 592, 593, 594, 595 |
2022 | 47 | 596, 597 |
2023 | 58 [lower-alpha 2] | 598, 599, 600 |
Total | 30,863 |
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal judiciary. The courts of appeals are divided into 13 "Circuits". Eleven of the circuits are numbered "First" through "Eleventh" and cover geographic areas of the United States and hear appeals from the U.S. district courts within their borders. The District of Columbia Circuit covers only Washington, DC. The Federal Circuit hears appeals from federal courts across the United States in cases involving certain specialized areas of law. The courts of appeals also hear appeals from some administrative agency decisions and rulemaking, with by far the largest share of these cases heard by the D.C. Circuit. Appeals from decisions of the courts of appeals can be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. The procedures of the Court are governed by the U.S. Constitution, various federal statutes, and its own internal rules. Since 1869, the Court has consisted of one chief justice and eight associate justices. Justices are nominated by the president, and with the advice and consent (confirmation) of the U.S. Senate, appointed to the Court by the president. Once appointed, justices have lifetime tenure unless they resign, retire, or are removed from office.