Question

How can a case reach a federal court of appeals without having gone to trial in any court previously?

Answer 1

Answer:

A litigant who loses in a federal court of appeals, or in the highest court of a state, may file a petition for a "writ of certiorari," which is a document asking the Supreme Court to review the case. ... There are also a small number of special circumstances in which the Supreme Court is required by law to hear an appeal.