What is the appellate court’s scope of review for a jury’s factual findings?

In Florida, the scope of review for a jury’s factual findings is relatively narrow. The appellate court is responsible for reviewing the trial court’s decision, but it will not make its own factual findings. Instead, it is only permitted to consider whether or not the trial court made a mistake in the way it applied the law. The court typically reviews the evidence presented in the case to determine if there was sufficient evidence to support the jury’s verdict, or if the jury’s decision was against the manifest weight of the evidence presented. The appellate court also reviews the jury instructions provided by the trial court. This review is to make sure the jury was given proper guidance throughout the trial and that no confusion or mistakes were made in the trial court’s presentation. The appellate court also looks to ensure the jury was not given instructions that were not applicable in the case. The appellate court will not substitute its own judgement for that of the jury. The court will only reverse the jury’s verdict if the trial court’s decision was an abuse of discretion or if the trial court made a legal error when instructing the jury. The court is charged with deciding whether the ruling was so arbitrary or discriminatory that it could not have been the product of a fair trial.

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What is the appellate court’s scope of review for a jury’s factual findings?

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