Petitions to the U. S. Supreme Court have a. increased over time and are primarily accepted by writ of certiorari b. increased over time and are primarily accepted in forma pauperis c. decreased over time and are primarily accepted by writ of certiorari d. decreased over time and are primarily accepted in forma pauperis

The correct answer is a.

Petitions have increased over time, allowing you to eliminate options c and d. They are primarily accepted by writ of certiorari, which orders records from a case in a lower court to be sent to a higher court. Forma pauperis, which is when a court allows someone without sufficient funds to waive the costs of a lawyer, would not explain an increase in petitions to the Supreme Court. So, the answer is a.