Appellate Court Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Appellate Court.

Appellate Court (noun)

An Appellate Court, sometimes referred to as a Court of Appeals, is a court that reviews and decides on cases that were previously heard and decided upon in a lower court. Its main function is not to determine the facts of the case, but to check if the law was correctly applied. The outcome of an appellate review can either affirm the decision of the lower court or reverse it due to legal errors.

For example, if a person is not satisfied with the judgment of a trial court, they can 'appeal' or bring their case to an Appellate Court to have the judgment looked at again.