Which court is a court to which appeals are made on points of law resulting from the judgment of a lower court?
a. last resort
b. supreme
c. appellate
d. federal
e. district
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is c. appellate.
An appellate court is a court where appeals are made on points of law resulting from the judgment of a lower court. Its main role is not to re-examine the facts of a case but to review whether the law was applied correctly in the trial court. In some legal systems, this process is crucial to ensure fairness and consistency in the interpretation and application of the law.
The appellate process begins when a party who is dissatisfied with the decision of a lower court (typically a trial court) files an appeal. This means they ask a higher court, known as the appellate court, to review the decision. The party filing the appeal is often called the appellant, and the opposing party is called the appellee.
When reviewing an appeal, the appellate court looks at legal arguments, court transcripts, evidence presented during the trial, and applicable legal precedents. However, the appellate court does not consider new evidence or witness testimony. Its focus is on legal issues, such as whether the trial judge made errors in applying the law, whether the jury was instructed correctly, or whether any legal rights of the parties involved were violated.
The decisions made by appellate courts can result in various outcomes, including affirming the lower court’s judgment, reversing it, or remanding the case back to the lower court for further proceedings. If a party is dissatisfied with the appellate court’s ruling, they may be able to appeal to an even higher court, such as the supreme court, depending on the legal system and the importance of the case.
In summary, the appellate court serves an important function in the legal system by providing a means of correcting errors made in lower courts, ensuring that justice is applied consistently and correctly across cases.