Criminal appeals are usually heard by a panel of how many judges?

• A. One judge
• B. Two judges
• C. Four judges
• D. Three judges

Answer: (D)

Criminal appeals are typically decided by a three-judge panel. This size provides enough perspectives to review the record, interpret the law, and check for errors without slowing the process too much. A single judge can miss issues or be swayed by a particular viewpoint, while two judges can end up with a tie or an unresolved split decision. Four judges would introduce the potential for ties and generally isn’t the standard workflow, which is why courts favor three. (If a case raises especially important questions or there’s a need for broader agreement, the full court may review it en banc, but that’s the exception rather than the rule.)