**Top 5 Things You Need to Know About the Solicitor General**

Top 5 Things You Need to Know About the Solicitor General

• The “10th Justice” of the Supreme Court – The Solicitor General is often called the “10th justice” because they argue the most cases before the Supreme Court and are deeply trusted by the justices. Their office decides which government cases to appeal, and the Court often requests their opinion (called amicus curiae) on cases involving federal law.

• Gatekeeper of Federal Appeals – Before any federal agency can appeal a lost case to the Supreme Court, the Solicitor General must personally approve it. That means this single lawyer effectively picks the legal fights the U.S. government takes to the highest court—a power that can shape national law for decades.

• Not Your Average Lawyer – Unlike courtroom attorneys who work in private firms, the Solicitor General is a top-tier government official who argues 10 to 20 cases per term before the Supreme Court. The job is so prestigious that many past SGs have become Supreme Court justices themselves (think Thurgood Marshall or Elena Kagan).

• Bipartisan by Tradition, Political by Nature – While the role is intended to be non-partisan, every new president appoints their own SG. However, the office has a tradition of maintaining legal consistency across administrations—meaning the SG will sometimes defend a law their party opposes if it’s on the books, leading to surprise decisions that shock the public.

• The Ultimate Legal “Throttle” – The SG can ask the Supreme Court to hear a case (petition for certiorari) or, more strategically, recommend that the Court deny review of a government loss. This quiet power lets them kill cases that could set bad precedents—effectively burying legal threats before they ever reach the justices.