The Guide to Court Appeals

What is an Appeal?

Appeals are legal instruments that enable a citizen to initiate a secondary hearing or supplementary judicial review from a higher court. These appeals are processed following the receipt of an initial ruling from a lower court. Within the legal spectrum of an appeal hearing, a ‘lower court’ is classified as a court that is considered to be lower with regard to jurisdictional hierarchy, such as a local or state court.

A ‘higher court’ is classified as a court that is considered to be higher in its respective jurisdictional hierarchy, such as a Circuit court, Superior court, or Supreme Court. Depending on the locale in which the process of an appeal takes place, many factors exist within the actuality of an appellate hearing taking place.

Associated Terminology with an Appeal Process

The following terminology is commonly associated with Appeal:

Appellate Court: An appellate court is a legal forum in possession of the the jurisdictional authority to retry or reexamine specific cases that have been previously rendered by lower courts; to adequately re-evaluate a previous decision, the appellate court will perform judicial review with concerning the preexisting ruling

Judicial Review: This process is undertaken by a wide variety of jurisdictions and courts in the event there exist a valid dispute with regard to a preexisting ruling; judicial review with regard to an appeal typically consists of court justices reviewing the case details and prior judgments in order to examine the accuracy of legality latent within a ruling

Petition of Appeal: The petition to appeal must be finalized by those interested in appealing a previously-rendered case. When receiving an appeal petition, the court will perform judicial review to re-evaluate the case.





Legal Assistance for an Appeal Hearing

The appeals process with regard to issues involving Appellate Law – and secondary review - fluctuates on a case-by-case basis.

Elements concerning the determination of an Appeals hearing exist in conjunction with preexisting factors, which include the nature of the law in question, pertinent case details with regard to past adjustments, and the examination of the procedures undertaken by a specific lower court or original jurisdiction.

If you experience difficulties concerning stipulations set forth in a legal matter that exists under the jurisdiction of Appeals legality, you should consult with an attorney who specializes in the field of Appellate Law and the Appeals process.