What is appellate jurisdiction?

Appellate jurisdiction refers to the authority of a higher court to review and revise the decisions made by lower courts. This means when a case is appealed, it is not re-tried; rather, the appellate court examines the records of the original trial to determine whether legal errors were made that could have affected the outcome. Appellate courts focus on the application of the law and may affirm, reverse, or remand cases based on their findings.

In contrast to appellate jurisdiction, the authority to hear cases in the first instance pertains to original jurisdiction, where cases are tried for the first time. The power to dismiss cases without a hearing does not accurately capture the purpose of appellate jurisdiction, as appellate courts do review cases and their decisions. Furthermore, appellate jurisdiction is not limited to federal cases alone; it can apply to both state and federal courts. Therefore, the correct choice emphasizes the fundamental role that appellate courts play in overseeing the judicial process by reviewing lower court decisions.