In Supreme Court proceedings, the main written arguments submitted by parties are called

• A. Petitions
• B. Briefs
• C. Motions
• D. Opinions

Answer: (B)

The main written arguments submitted by parties in Supreme Court proceedings are called briefs. After a case is chosen for review, each side file briefs that lay out the facts, identify the issues, present legal arguments, and cite precedents and statutes to support their position. These documents are crafted to persuade the justices on why the court should rule for their side, and they may be accompanied by response briefs from the opposing party and amicus briefs from others, including the government. It’s important to distinguish briefs from petitions, which are requests to the Court to hear a case; motions, which are procedural requests for action; and opinions, which are the Court’s final written decision.