lower courts
Where appeals originate
Lower courts are courts whose decisions can be appealed to a higher court.
The term is relative—a state appellate court is a lower court relative to the state supreme court.
In federal cases, district courts and circuit courts are lower courts relative to the Supreme Court: The lower courts had ruled in favor of the plaintiff, but the Supreme Court reversed.
- federal courtsJudiciary handling nationwide cases
- municipal courtsLocal government judicial bodies
- jury trialLegal proceeding with citizen panel
- tribunalsBodies adjudicating disputes
- benchShared seating surface
circuit courts · judge · courtrooms · adjudications · appeals · robes · docket · litigations · appellate · legal briefs · due process · legal proceedings · precedent · sentencing · plea bargain · witness · subpoena · trial
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- legal fieldscivil law, criminal law, administrative law, common law, civil procedure
- Asian courts
lower courtsSupreme Court
Nation's top tribunal
highest court · appellate courts · court of last resort · superior courts · high court
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