{"id":368856,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/appealing-a-court-decision-or-judgment.html"},"modified":"2026-05-20T13:19:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T18:19:59","slug":"appealing-a-court-decision-or-judgment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/appealing-a-court-decision-or-judgment.html","title":{"rendered":"Appealing a Court Decision or Judgment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Appealing a Court Decision or Judgment<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Lyle Therese A. Hilotin-Lee, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Appealing a court decision is a complex legal process. This is the step where parties can challenge legal errors in the outcome of the case by asking the higher court to review the order of the lower court.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Appeals are not the same as a new trial for your original case. They follow a different process. If you are appealing a court judgment, you’ll need to understand the rules of appellate procedure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The following is an overview of the appellate process. It details the steps in challenging court decisions and the distinctions between trials and appeals.<\/p>\n

Successful appeals require a strong argument that shows a legal error. It’s a good idea to work with an appeals attorney<\/a> who has experience building these cases. They can review whether an appeal is worth your effort. A lawyer can advocate for you in appellate court.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Can You Always Appeal a Court Decision?<\/h2>\n

No, you can’t appeal a court ruling unless you have valid legal grounds. Whether the appeal concerns a judge’s order or a jury’s verdict, an appellate court reviews what happened<\/a> in prior proceedings for any errors of law. A legal error must be present in the original case to overturn the decision.<\/p>\n

This means losing parties can’t appeal a case just because they’re unhappy with the outcome. They may only challenge decisions that may have resulted from legal errors.<\/p>\n

Appeal attempts are also limited. Every time you appeal, you bring the case to a higher court<\/a>. There are only a few levels within the court system<\/a>. It’s possible to run out of chances once you’ve exhausted the appropriate appellate courts.<\/p>\n

Reasons To File an Appeal<\/h2>\n

The following are some examples of legal errors that can be challenged in an appeal:<\/p>\n