Final answer:
An appellate court reviews another court's decision, while a trial court conducts the initial trial with a judge and jury. It is the role of the appellate court to identify legal errors by examining the records and briefs from the original proceedings, without the presentation of witnesses or the involvement of a jury.
Step-by-step explanation:
An appellate court differs from a trial court in that it does not conduct a trial with witnesses or a jury. Instead, the appellate court reviews the decisions made by trial courts to determine if there were legal errors that could have affected the outcome of the case. Trial courts, such as district courts or other courts of original jurisdiction, are where cases are first heard, witnesses testify, and juries may decide the facts of the case. The appellate courts, which include circuit courts and state supreme courts, rely on judges to review the record of the trial court proceedings and briefs from the parties involved. They do not reconsider questions of fact—this is preserved for the jury in trial courts as per the Seventh Amendment.