  This paper reviews the spin orientation of spin-3/2 holes in quantum wells.
We discuss the Zeeman and Rashba spin splitting in hole systems that are
qualitatively different from their counterparts in electron systems. We show
how a systematic understanding of the unusual spin-dependent phenomena in hole
systems can be gained using a multipole expansion of the spin density matrix.
As an example we discuss spin precession in hole systems that can give rise to
an alternating spin polarization. Finally, we discuss the qualitatively
different regimes of hole spin polarization decay in clean and dirty samples.
