But not wanting to hear the case seems like an even stronger upholding of the lower court decision. It’s saying I don’t even want to hear the arguments, just go away.
Note that sometimes a justice will turn away a case that he knows will not be decided the way he wants, leaving it for a more favorable hearing when newer justices might see it his way.
Not at all. The Supreme Court hears about 100 cases a year. The Court picks and chooses the cases that it hears for a variety of reasons.
If there isn’t a circuit split on an issue, it is very, very rare for the Supreme Court to agree hear the case.
A denial of certiorari is NOT a decision of any kind. It’s not an endorsement of the case below. It’s not anything other than 4 Justices didn’t think that it was the right time to take up that particular case.