What is meant by an intermediate appellate court and an example of such a court?
An intermediate appellate court is a court that hears appeals from trial-level courts, but is not the court of last resort in its jurisdiction. An example would be the Circuit Courts of Appeals in the U.S. Federal Court system. A Court of Appeals hears appeals from decisions of U.S. District Courts in its circuit. It can reverse or affirm those decisions and, in most cases, its decision is final. However, there is a higher appellate court — the United States Supreme Court. That higher court can reverse the decisions of the Court of Appeals. The fact that there is a higher court makes the Court of Appeals an “intermediate” appellate court.
