Intermediate Appellate Court

by

Intermediate Appellate Court in the United States

An appeals court structurally located between trial courts and a court of last resort. The jurisdiction and organization of intermediate appellate courts varies from state to state. Typically, these courts review decisions from the general jurisdiction trial courts and specified administrative agencies. A number of states have only one intermediate court, while others, generally the larger states and the federal government, separate their intermediate courts geographically into regions or districts. The federal intermediate appellate court, the U.S. court of appeals, is divided regionally into units known as circuits. There is also some variation in the jurisdiction of the intermediate courts. Some states, for example, authorize one intermediate court to review civil cases, while another hears criminal appeals. The entire membership of an intermediate appeals court may review a case, in which case the court sits en banc. More often, however, judges are assigned to panels of three for the review of individual cases.

See Also

Appellate Jurisdiction (Judicial Organization) Mandatory Jurisdiction (Judicial Organization), 275; UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS, 7 1.

Analysis and Relevance

Intermediate appellate courts have been established to reduce the volume of cases seeking review by courts of last resort. It was to unburden the Supreme Court that Congress established the U.S. court of appeals in 1891. The jurisdiction of most intermediate courts is mandatory; they have no discretion over the cases they review. In the United States, litigants are entitled to one round of appeal. Making review mandatory is intended to satisfy this obligation at the intermediate level. Indigent criminal defendants wishing to exercise the right to one appeal are entitled to assistance of counsel at this level. Establishment of intermediate courts has reduced Supreme Court caseloads, but only modestly and typically not for the long term. Rather, after a period of time, the presence of a new intermediate court tends to prompt the filing of more appeals.

Notes and References

  1. Definition of Intermediate Appellate Court from the American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Related Entries:

  1. Intentional torts
  2. International Trade Commission
  3. Insurance Companies
  4. Inalienable
  5. Initiative
  6. Injunction
  7. Injury
  8. Inspection
  9. Insurance
  10. Interrogatories
  11. Independent Contractor
  12. Integrated Risk Information System
  13. Interest Groups
  14. Interpretive Approaches
  15. Insanity Defense
  16. Interim Appointment
  17. Incorporation
  18. Incarceration
  19. International Copyright
  20. International Criminal Court
  21. Internal Revenue Code
  22. Internet Law
  23. Instrumentality
  24. International Lawyers Associations 3
  25. International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants
  26. International Tropical Timber Agreement
  27. International law databases resources
  28. Internal Revenue Service
  29. International Crime law resources
  30. International Labour Law. Bibliography
  31. Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms
  32. Social Rights
  33. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant
  34. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant
  35. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil
  36. International Convention on Salvage
  37. Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
  38. International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries of the Pacific Ocean
  39. International Commercial Arbitration Database (Kluwer)
  40. International convention revising the Berne convention for the protection of literary and artistic works
  41. Indians
  42. Information Centers
  43. Insurance Trusts
  44. Inventions
  45. Immigration
  46. Ins
  47. Index
  48. Intangible Assets
  49. Self Protection
  50. Independent
  51. Injury Litigations
  52. Intentional Tort
  53. Injury to Animal
  54. Information Wills Probate
  55. Insurance Plan
  56. Institutional Change
  57. Internet Tracing
  58. Indian Civil Rights Act
  59. Internet Services
  60. Indecent Speech
  61. Interstitial Law
  62. Investigations and Proceedings
  63. Insurance for Investments in Rental Housing for Families of Moderate Income
  64. Indian Business Grants
  65. Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind
  66. Involuntary Retirement, Separation, and Furlough
  67. Indians in Oklahoma: Promotion of Welfare
  68. Institutions for Women
  69. Interstate Land Sales
  70. International Monetary Fund and Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Intermediate Appellate Court: Open and Free Legal Research of US Law

Federal Primary Materials

The U.S. federal government system consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each of which creates information that can be the subject of legal research about Intermediate Appellate Court. This part provides references, in relation to Intermediate Appellate Court, to the legislative process, the federal judiciary, and the primary sources of federal law (cases, statutes, and regulations).

Federal primary materials about Intermediate Appellate Court by content types:

Laws and Regulations

US Constitution
Federal Statutory Codes and Legislation

Federal Case Law and Court Materials

U.S. Courts of Appeals
United States courts of appeals, inclouding bankruptcy courts and bankcruptcy appellate panels:

Federal Administrative Materials and Resources

Presidential Materials

Materials that emanate from the President’s lawmaking function include executive orders for officers in departments and agencies and proclamations for announcing ceremonial or commemorative policies. Presidential materials available include:

Executive Materials

Federal Legislative History Materials

Legislative history traces the legislative process of a particular bill (about Intermediate Appellate Court and other subjects) for the main purpose of determining the legislators’ intent behind the enactment of a law to explain or clarify ambiguities in the language or the perceived meaning of that law (about Intermediate Appellate Court or other topics), or locating the current status of a bill and monitoring its progress.

State Administrative Materials and Resources

State regulations are rules and procedures promulgated by state agencies (which may apply to Intermediate Appellate Court and other topics); they are a binding source of law. In addition to promulgating regulations, state administrative boards and agencies often have judicial or quasi-judicial authority and may issue administrative decisions affecting Intermediate Appellate Court. Finding these decisions can be challenging. In many cases, researchers about Intermediate Appellate Court should check state agency web sites for their regulations, decisions, forms, and other information of interest.

State rules and regulations are found in codes of regulations and administrative codes (official compilation of all rules and regulations, organized by subject matter). Search here:

State opinions of the Attorney General (official written advisory opinions on issues of state law related to Intermediate Appellate Court when formerly requested by a designated government officer):

Tools and Forms

Law in Other Regions

*This resource guide is updated frequently. However, if you notice something is wrong or not working, or any resources that should be added, please notify us in any of the "Leave a Comment" area.

Leave a Comment