Appeal

Appeal, in law, transfer of a case that has been decided in a lower court to a higher court for review. In most U.S. jurisdictions, if the appeals court finds that the lower court (or administrative agency) made legal errors, it may decide in favor of the party making the appeal (appellant) or order a new trial in the lower court. The highest appeals court of the land is the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., which will only hear cases in which a substantial federal or constitutional question is involved. Otherwise, the state supreme court is the highest authority.