what are appellate courts 
appellate courts also known as the court of appeals are the part of the american judicial system that is responsible for hearing and reviewing appeals from legal cases that have already been heard in a trial level or other lower court persons or entities such as corporations that experience an unsuccessful outcome in a trial level or other lower courts may file an appeal with an appellate court to have the decision reviewed if the appeal has merit the lower ruling may be reversed appellate courts are present at both the state and federal levels and do not include a jury 