In much of the world, court systems are divided into at least three levels: the trial court, which initially hears cases and reviews evidence and testimony to determine the facts of the case; at least one intermediate appellate court; and a supreme court (or court of last resort) which primarily reviews the decisions of the intermediate courts, often on a discretionary basis.
ɪn mˈʌtʃ ʌvðə wˈɜːld, kˈoːɹt sˈɪstəmz ɑːɹ dᵻvˈaɪdᵻd ˌɪntʊ æt lˈiːst θɹˈiː lˈɛvəlz: ðə tɹˈaɪəl kˈoːɹt, wˌɪtʃ ɪnˈɪʃəli hˈɪɹz kˈeɪsᵻz ænd ɹᵻvjˈuːz ˈɛvɪdəns ænd tˈɛstᵻməni tə dɪtˈɜːmɪn ðə fˈækts ʌvðə kˈeɪs; æt lˈiːst wˈʌn ˌɪntɚmˈiːdiət ɐpˈɛlət kˈoːɹt; ænd ɐ suːpɹˈiːm kˈoːɹt ɔːɹ kˈoːɹt ʌv lˈæst ɹᵻzˈɔːɹt wˌɪtʃ pɹaɪmˈɛɹᵻli ɹᵻvjˈuːz ðə dᵻsˈɪʒənz ʌvðɪ ˌɪntɚmˈiːdiət kˈoːɹts, ˈɔfən ˌɔn ɐ dɪskɹˈɛʃənˌɛɹi bˈeɪsɪs.