court of appeals

American  

Also Court of Appeals

noun

Law.

1. (in the U.S. federal court system and some state court systems) an appellate court intermediate between the trial courts and the court of last resort.

2. the highest appellate court of New York State.

3. British. Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Judicature

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court of appeals Cultural  

1. Courts, also called appellate courts, that are designed as part of the system of due process. Cases may be presented to these courts if a party is dissatisfied with the original court's decision. An appeal must demonstrate that a new decision is warranted, usually in light of new evidence or a persuasive argument that the Constitution was improperly interpreted. A case may be appealed to successively higher state or federal appellate courts until it reaches the United States Supreme Court. There are twelve federal courts of appeal, each covering a group of states called a “circuit.”

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Etymology

Origin of court of appeals

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The court of appeals said that Preska incorrectly interpreted Argentine law and that the shareholders’ claims are without merit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Camp filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the court of appeals to side with Murrin.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

They were later acquitted by a court of appeals.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

“The people and the labor commissioner are not parties to the arbitration agreements invoked by Uber and Lyft,” said Justice Jon Streeter for the California court of appeals.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2024

He was appointed chief of three commissioners of admiralty under the republic, and as such was a member of the first court of appeals.

From Discourse of the Life and Character of the Hon. Littleton Waller Tazewell by Grigsby, Hugh Blair

Related Words

• appeals court
• appellate court