Courts of appeals, or appellate courts, primarily review decisions from lower courts. They do not reexamine evidence but focus on assessing legal errors or misinterpretations of law. Their decisions set legal precedents and guide lower courts, contributing to case law development.
The primary job of courts of appeals, often referred to as appellate courts or circuit courts at the federal level, is to review decisions made by trial courts. These intermediate appellate courts play a crucial role in the judicial system. Their main functions include hearing appeals from lower courts to ensure that legal processes were followed correctly and that the law was applied appropriately. Unlike trial courts, courts of appeals do not reexamine evidence or hear new witnesses; instead, they focus on assessing legal errors or misinterpretations of law that may have occurred during the trial. The decisions rendered by courts of appeals set legal precedents, providing guidance for lower courts and contributing to the development of case law.