How the justices decide … which cases to decide: an explainer

Genealogists and historians often refer to the . RIDS stands for Records/Information Dissemination Section.

Justices review these petitions to decide which ones are worth discussing in their private conferences.

In the legal world, the U.S. Supreme Court uses a "Dead List" as part of its case selection process. Thousands of petitions for certiorari (requests for the court to hear a case) are filed each term.

The FBI maintains a list of deceased individuals whose records may be eligible for public release under FOIA.