What is the function of the U.S. Court of Appeals?

The U.S. Court of Appeals primarily serves to hear appeals from district courts and review decisions made in lower courts. This means that when a party is dissatisfied with a ruling from a federal district court, they have the right to challenge that decision in the Court of Appeals. The appellate court does not conduct trials or hear new evidence; rather, it reviews the record of the lower court’s proceedings along with the legal arguments presented by both parties. The goal is to determine whether there were any legal errors in the application of the law that might have affected the outcome of the case.

This function is critical in ensuring that the judicial process is fair and that legal interpretations are consistently applied. The decisions made by the Court of Appeals can create precedents that lower courts are required to follow, thereby shaping the interpretation of law across the country.

In contrast, other options like conceiving new laws, conducting criminal trials, or overseeing the Supreme Court do not reflect the role of the Court of Appeals. The legislative branch is responsible for making laws, trial courts handle criminal trials, and the Supreme Court is the highest authority which the Court of Appeals does not supervise but can be appealed to in certain circumstances.