Appellate Court in United States

Plain-English Law

Appellate Court as defined by Nolo’s Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (p. 437-455):

A higher court that reviews the decision of a lower court when a losing party files an appeal. arbitration A procedure for resolving disputes out of court in which one or more neutral third parties called the arbitrator or arbitration panel hears evidence and renders a decision, like a judge.

Practical Information

Note: Some of this information was last updated in 1982

A tribunal empowered to hear arguments, pro and con, concerning the decision made by a lower court on a particular cause of action or trial. The appellate court has the power to affirm, reverse, or remand the original decision for retrial. For example, a case tried in a lower court may be brought on appeal (in U.S. law) to a higher court having appellate jurisdiction until it reaches the state’s highest appellate court or, in some cases, the United States Supreme Court. (See supreme appellate court (in U.S. law) .) States with a large volume of cases have intermediary appellate court (in U.S. law) to relieve the congestion of cases in the highest court. The party who loses a lawsuit, or who is dissatisfied with a judgment (in U.S. law) or court order or decree (in U.S. law), may ask a higher court to review the decision of the lower court with the hope that the higher court will reverse or modify the lower court’s decision. See also brief (in U.S. law); record on appeal (in U.S. law); timetable on appeal (in U.S. law); caption (in U.S. law) (of Case on Appeal).

(Revised by Ann De Vries)

What is Appellate Court?

For a meaning of it, read Appellate Court in the Legal Dictionary here. Browse and search more U.S. and international free legal definitions and legal terms related to Appellate Court.

Appellate court in the Context of Law Research

The Thurgood Marshall School of Law Library defined briefly Appellate court as: A court with jurisdiction to review decisions of lower courts or administrative agencies.Legal research resources, including Appellate court, help to identify the law that governs an activity and to find materials that explain that law.