Lower Court Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Lower Court, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Lower Court?

(n) (n) Lower court is the subordinate court of the Appeals court, the decision of which can be re-opened, re-examined or set aside by the Upper Court. An Appeals or higher Court can be the Lower court of some Upper Court.

History and Meaning of Lower Court

A lower court is a court within a hierarchical court system which is subordinate to a higher or appeals court. The decisions and judgments made by a lower court can be reviewed, re-examined or set aside by a higher court. A higher court can also function as a lower court in some situations. The lower court hears and presides over cases that do not fall under the jurisdiction of higher courts.

Examples of Lower Court

  1. In a criminal case, a district court is considered as a lower court, whereas the state court of appeals or the United States circuit court of appeals is considered as a higher court as it can review the district court's decision.

  2. In the case of bankruptcy, the lower court is the bankruptcy court, the decisions of which can be appealed to the district court.

  3. In tax disputes, taxpayers can bring their case before the tax court, which is considered a lower court, and if the taxpayer disagrees with the decision, they can appeal to the US court of appeals.

Legal Terms Similar to Lower Court

  1. Appellate court - The court which reviews and upholds or reverses the judgment of a lower court.

  2. Federal Court - A court that has jurisdiction over federal cases and can be either a trial court or an appellate court.

  3. Superior Court - A court with higher authority and jurisdiction over a lower court.