appellate court
Higher judicial body
An appellate court is a court that reviews decisions made by lower courts.
It doesn't retry cases or hear new evidence—it examines whether the original court applied the law correctly.
The case was appealed to the appellate court after the trial verdict.
Most legal systems have multiple levels, with appellate courts sitting between trial courts and a supreme court.
Subjective personal belief
- reversalComplete change of direction
- affirmationPositive statement of truth
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- vacateLeave a place empty
dissent · concurrence · majority opinion · precedent · judgment · ruling · mandate · disposition
Short in duration
- docketCourt's case schedule
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- oral argumentSpoken case presentation
- remandReturn for further proceedings
certiorari · mandamus · interlocutory · panel · motion · filing · petition · record
Closed electrical pathway
Prior authoritative example
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- de novoFrom the beginning
- mootnessState of being pointless
One who appeals
- appelleeParty against whom appeal is brought
- litigantParty in lawsuit
- petitionerOne who formally requests
- respondentOne who gives answers
counsel · attorney · solicitor general · public defender · prosecutor · intervenor
opinion
Subjective personal belief
- reversalComplete change of direction
- affirmationPositive statement of truth
- remandReturn for further proceedings
vacate · dissent · concurrence · majority opinion · precedent · judgment · ruling · mandate · disposition · holding
brief
Short in duration
- docketCourt's case schedule
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- oral argumentSpoken case presentation
remand · certiorari · mandamus · interlocutory · panel · motion · filing · petition · record · transcript
circuit
Closed electrical pathway
precedent
Prior authoritative example
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- de novoFrom the beginning
mootness · standing · ripeness · exhaustion
appellant
One who appeals
- appelleeParty against whom appeal is brought
- litigantParty in lawsuit
- petitionerOne who formally requests
respondent · counsel · attorney · solicitor general · public defender · prosecutor · intervenor
- courtsdistrict courts, federal courts, circuit courts, municipal courts, trial courts
- church courtsRota
- criminal justicearrest, jail, prison, crime, guilty
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- legallawyer, judge, jury, trial, verdict
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
appellate courttrial court
First-level judicial forum
district court · lower court · superior court · circuit court · county court
court, appeal, appealing, repeal, appealed, appeals, repealed, appellate, appealable