About how many cases does the Supreme Court hear during a term?

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A person ascends the steps of the west facade of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., with its tall columns and a round fountain in the foreground. — Supreme Court of the United States The west facade of the U.S. Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court of the United States typically hears about 80 cases per term.1

While the Court receives approximately 7,000 certiorari requests annually, it exercises almost exclusive discretion in determining its caseload. Since the mid-20th century, the number of cases decided by the Court has actually declined as the justices have opted to hear fewer cases per salient issue area.1