What is the scope of review for an appellate court’s decision?

The scope of review for an appellate court’s decision in South Carolina is the power to review any legal issue decided in the lower court. This means that the appellate court can judge the ruling of the lower court and either uphold the lower court’s decision, reverse it, or modify it. The appellate court will look at the lower court’s findings of fact and determine if they are correct. The appellate court is not a trial court and does not view the evidence. It only looks to see if the lower court made a reasonable decision and applied the law correctly. If the lower court’s decision was not correct, the appellate court can reverse it. The scope of review for an appellate court’s decision also includes determining if the lower court followed the proper procedural rules. It looks to see if the lower court followed the correct rules of evidence, procedure, and other laws for the case. If a lower court does not follow the rules of procedure, the appellate court can rule that the lower court’s decision is invalid. Finally, the appellate court also has the authority to review questions of law. This means that the court may review any legal issue decided in the lower court and either affirm or deny the lower court’s legal conclusion. If the appellate court finds the lower court’s decision was incorrect, it can reverse or change the lower court’s decision.

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