Appellate jurisdiction is best defined as which of the following?

• A. The authority to hear a case from its beginning
• B. The power to appoint judges
• C. The lawful authority to review a decision made by a lower court
• D. The power to prosecute cases

Answer: (C)

Appellate jurisdiction refers to the power of a higher court to review the decisions of a lower court. It focuses on whether the law was correctly applied and whether procedures were followed, rather than re‑trying the case from scratch or introducing new evidence. Through this authority, an appellate court can affirm, reverse, or remand a decision for further proceedings. This distinguishes it from original jurisdiction, which is the authority to hear a case in the trial court from its start, and from functions like appointing judges or prosecuting cases.