appellate jurisdiction?

Question

what is it?

Answer 1

Appellate jurisdiction is the jurisdiction given to a court to review, revise, amend and repel a decision of a lower court.

Answer 2

There are two broad types of jurisdiction.

Original jurisdiction allows a court to hear a complaint brought before it. This includes the general trial courts, small claims courts, bankruptcy courts, etc. Anywhere where you can start a new case counts as original jurisdiction.

Appellate jurisdiction is the authority to review and either approve or disapprove of decisions made by another court, usually a lower court in the same hierarchy. So, you got to trial. One side doesn't like the outcome, and they appeal. The authority to hear the appeal is appellate jurisdiction.

State courts usually have two levels of appeals courts -- an intermediate court and a state supreme court. Some smaller or less populace states skip the intermediate level.

Federal courts have two levels of appeals courts -- the Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court. In a few situations (such as certain immigration matters), cases may be brought directly to the Circuit Courts, who have original jurisdiction.

It's also interesting to note that the US Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over some specific issues (see Article III of the Constitution) as well as appellate jurisdiction over both the Circuit Courts of Appeals, and state supreme courts where a federal law or the federal constitution is at issue.

Answer 3

It is the jurisdiction of higher courts over the decisions of certain other lower courts. Most often this jurisdiction is limited to a particular geographical region (such as the circuits of the Federal Appeals Courts) and/or subject matter. The Supreme Court of the United States has jurisdiction over all other courts in the country.