SCOTUS holds conference days when the Justices meet privately to discuss cases argued earlier and they may vote on petitions for review. In order for SCOTUS to grant such a review, FOUR justices must vote to accept the case. Recent cases about racial criteria for acceptance into a school, trans communication between schools and parents, and gun carry restrictions were accepted by fewer than four of the justices, Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch.
SCOTUS turns away some cases involving hot-button issues