What is the difference between an appeal and a mandamus?

An appeal and a mandamus are two types of legal apparatus available in Tennessee. An appeal is a request for review of an administrative agency or judicial decision by a higher authority. An appeal advances an argument that a previous decision was wrong and thus should be overturned or revised. If an appeal is successful, the decision is changed or reversed. A mandamus, by contrast, is a court order commanding a public official to perform an action which they have an obligation to do. It does not involve the review of a legal matter, but a failure by the state to meet an established obligation. It is used as a remedy when a public official or public body refuses to perform a required duty. In short, an appeal is a challenge to a decision made by an administrative agency or court of law, with the hope of having the decision overturned, while a mandamus does not involve the review of a legal matter, but is a remedy for an official or body’s refusal to do what is required of them.

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