Among their many functions, clerks do legal research that assists justices in deciding what cases to accept and what questions to ask during oral arguments, prepare memoranda, and draft orders and opinions. Research suggests that clerks exert a moderate influence on how justices vote in cases, but have "substantial influence in cases that are high-profile, legally significant, or close decisions".
Clerks play several roles for Supreme Court Justices, including conducting legal research to help them decide which cases to hear and what questions to ask during oral arguments. They also prepare memoranda and draft orders and opinions. Research suggests that clerks have a moderate influence on how justices vote in general, but their impact is more significant in high-profile, important, or close decisions.