The courts
oral argument
The hearing where judges question each side's lawyer. Usually short, rarely decisive on its own, and the only part of appellate work the public sees.
In full
Briefs carry most of the weight; argument lets judges probe the weak points and test how a proposed rule would apply to other cases. The Supreme Court allots roughly thirty minutes per side plus questioning, releases same-day audio, and since 2019 has given each Justice a turn to question in order of seniority.
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.