Word: Court of Appeals
Definition: A "court of appeals" is a special type of court that reviews decisions made by lower courts. If someone disagrees with a decision from a trial court, they can ask the court of appeals to look at the case again. The court of appeals does not hold a new trial; instead, it checks if the law was followed correctly in the original case.
Usage Instructions: You can use "court of appeals" when talking about legal matters, especially when discussing how the legal system works or when someone wants to challenge a court decision.
Example Sentence: After losing his case in the trial court, John decided to take his case to the court of appeals to see if he could get a different outcome.
Advanced Usage: In some countries, there might be multiple levels of courts of appeals, such as intermediate appellate courts and a final supreme court that reviews the decisions of the highest court of appeals.
Word Variants: - "Appeal" (verb): To make a serious request to a court to change a decision. - "Appellate" (adjective): Relating to the court of appeals, such as in "appellate jurisdiction," which refers to the authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.
Different Meaning: While "court of appeals" specifically refers to a legal institution, the word "appeal" can also mean to make a request for something or to attract interest. For example, “The movie has a strong appeal to young audiences.”
Synonyms: - Appellate court - Appeals court - Higher court
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: - There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "court of appeals," but you might hear phrases like "take it to court" or "appeal a decision," which relate to the legal process.