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' work significantly impacts Supreme Court Justices' decisions by assisting them with case selection, oral arguments preparation, and legal document drafting. Research indicates that clerks have a moderate influence on justices' votes but their impact is more pronounced in high-profile, significant, or close cases.