Certiorari is a legal term that refers to a writ seeking judicial review of a lower court's decision. It's a Latin word meaning "to be made certain" or "to be informed."
Here's how it works:
* Petitioner: The party seeking review files a petition for a writ of certiorari with a higher court, typically the Supreme Court.
* Respondent: The party whose decision is being reviewed is called the respondent.
* Granting Certiorari: The higher court may agree to review the case (grant certiorari) or decline (deny certiorari).
* Review: If certiorari is granted, the higher court will review the lower court's decision.
Essentially, certiorari allows a higher court to ensure that the law was applied correctly by a lower court.