appellant
appellant — noun
1. a party who asks a higher court to review and overturn a ruling that went agains
a party who asks a higher court to review and overturn a ruling that went against them in a lower court.
The appellant argued that the trial judge had ignored crucial witness testimony.
the appellant + verb in legal narrative
Lawyers for the appellant filed a 200-page brief with the Supreme Court last Friday.
lawyers for the appellant — possessive frame
Ms. Jin, the appellant in this murder case, listened quietly as the panel of judges asked questions.
If the appellant wins, the lower court's ruling will be cancelled and a new trial may begin.
The appellant must pay the court fee within 30 days of filing the notice.
- petitioner
broader: any person formally asking a court for a ruling, not only on appeal
- challenger
general English; lacks the specific legal procedural meaning
- plaintiff in error
older legal term, mostly historical and rare in modern courts
- appellee
the opposing party who defends the lower court's decision
- respondent
British legal usage for the party answering the appeal
文法句型
the appellant + verb
appellant in [case]
用法筆記
Subject is always a party that has already lost at a lower level; distinguish from 'appellee' (the side that won below and is now defending the ruling). Do not confuse with 'plaintiff', which names the party who started the original case.
常見錯誤
appellant — adjective
1. describing courts, judges, or procedures whose job is to review rulings already
describing courts, judges, or procedures whose job is to review rulings already made by a lower court — for example, an appellant tribunal or appellant jurisdiction.
The appellant court returned the case to the trial judge for new sentencing.
appellant + court (attributive use)
Only three judges sit in the appellant division of this tribunal.
appellant + division
Attorney Mendez filed the brief through the appellant procedure on the morning before the deadline.
The appellant panel of the High Court heard arguments in the Reyes family land dispute yesterday.
文法句型
appellant + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively before a noun (court, jurisdiction, division, procedure). 'Appellate' is the standard modern adjective; 'appellant' as adjective is mainly preserved in some older statutes and a few jurisdictional names.