The civil appeals system may seem complicated for those who are not very familiar with legal terms. Court processes come with a multitude of terminology that you may have heard of, but might not fully understand how they relate to each other. Fortunately, at the Aldrich Law Firm, Ltd., our lawyers have a full understanding of the civil and appellate processes in Nevada. We are willing to answer your questions regarding common court terminology and phrasing so you never go into a courtroom feeling unprepared.
The following terms are some of those frequently used in appeals courts, as defined by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts:
- Appeal – This is a review process of the trial court’s proceedings by a higher court to determine whether there were any mistakes of law and if they warrant a reversal of the trial court’s decision.
- Appellate, appellate court – Appellate has to do with matters of appeal; the appellate court considers the appeal of the lower court’s judgment.
- Affirmed – When the verdict of the lower court was deemed right by the appellate court, this is called “affirmed.”
- Brief – Each side in an appeal presents a written brief, or statement, to the appeals court that explains their position.
- Judgment – The judgment is the jury or judge’s final decision, or ruling, in a trial court, which may be appealed under certain conditions.
- Trial, trial court – In a trial, a judge and/or jury considers the evidence, listens to issues and decides the case’s outcome. The trial court is where a civil case begins.
- United States Supreme Court – The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. is the nation’s highest court. It has final appellate jurisdiction and authority over every court in the country.
These are only a few of the terms and definitions you are likely to hear in an appeals case. For more information on the appeals process, please visit our page here.
