What is an appeal?

When a case goes to court, appealing the decision is an option when one disagrees with the ruling. An appeal is when one party or both parties in a case, ask a higher court to consider the case and alter the decision of the lower court. People may appeal a judgment if the ruling was legally wrong, they weren’t able to present all information at the trial, or the verdict was not fair. Some appeals are based on procedural errors, like the judge not following the proper rules of evidence. In North Dakota, appeals from the district courts are heard by the North Dakota Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. Appellants must file an “Appellant’s Brief” which explains why the decision of the lower court was wrong and why the Supreme Court should reverse it. The respondent may file a brief as well in response to the appellant’s brief. When the Supreme Court hears an appeal, it reviews the record from the district court and the briefs from both parties. The Supreme Court usually does not hear live witness testimony; instead, it relies on the documents already submitted. The Supreme Court then renders a final decision on the case. If the decision is appealed to the United States Supreme Court, that court has the option of refusing to hear the case.

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