Appellate Court

An appellate court is a court having appellate jurisdiction, which is jurisdiction to hear appeals and review a trial court's procedure in a lawsuit, both civil and criminal. In the federal court system, the courts of appellate jurisdiction are the U.S. Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals. State court systems also have appellate courts, typically with a supreme court and an intermediate appellate court. State trial courts of general jurisdiction (circuit or superior courts) may also have appellate jurisdiction over state trial courts of limited jurisdiction (district, municipal, or small-claims courts). Appellate courts typically review matters of fact for clear error, matters of law de novo, and matters of equity for abuse of discretion.