Question

Norwest Trucking Corporation files a suit in a state court against Bob’s Service Company (BSC), and wins. BSC appeals the court’s decision, asserting that the evidence presented at trial to support Norwest’s claim was so scanty that no reasonable jury could have found for the plaintiff. Therefore, argues BSC, the appellate court should reverse the trial court’s decision. Is the appellate court likely to reverse the trial court’s findings with respect to the facts? If not, why not? What are an appellate court’s options after reviewing a case?

Answer 1

The appellate court has powers to reverse the decisions of lower courts if it finds after reviewing the case proceedings that the processes of the trial court were not fair or the legal principles were not applied correctly to the case. In this case, the appellate court is likely to review the procedure and if it finds flaw in the application of the rule of law to the case. However, the appellate court does not verify the claims and evidences made by the parties during the case. It is believed that the facts as presented in the lower court were correct. The things which it looks into is the legal errors and agreement of court's findings with facts. In the light of these facts, the appellate court is likey to keep the decision of the lower court.