In appellate practice, what does the term 'reverse' mean?

In appellate practice, what does the term 'reverse' mean?

• A. To overturn by contrary opinion.
• B. To uphold the lower court's decision.
• C. To remand for a new trial.
• D. To grant a writ of certiorari.

Answer: (A)

In appellate practice, to reverse means the appellate court disagrees with the lower court’s ruling and changes the outcome, issuing a decision that is contrary to the lower court’s result. It’s about overturning the decision on appeal, often because the lower court made legal errors or misapplied the law. This is different from affirming, which would simply uphold the lower court’s decision, and different from remanding for a new trial, which is sending the case back for further proceedings rather than directly changing the outcome. Granting a writ of certiorari is about deciding to hear a case at all, not about reversing the decision on the merits.

In appellate practice, to reverse means the appellate court disagrees with the lower court’s ruling and changes the outcome, issuing a decision that is contrary to the lower court’s result. It’s about overturning the decision on appeal, often because the lower court made legal errors or misapplied the law. This is different from affirming, which would simply uphold the lower court’s decision, and different from remanding for a new trial, which is sending the case back for further proceedings rather than directly changing the outcome. Granting a writ of certiorari is about deciding to hear a case at all, not about reversing the decision on the merits.