Petition for Certiorari Peh-tish-on for sir-shi-uh-rare-eye A formal request asking the Supreme Court of the United States to review a lower court decision. The losing party filed a petition for certiorari in hopes of the Supreme Court overturning the appeals court decision. There are many famous cases that began with a petition for certiorari. Examples include Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Roe v. Wade (1973). ← Back to BrowseNext Term →