Legal Definitions - appeal as of right

Appeal as of right is a legal term that refers to the right of a party to appeal a lower court's decision to a higher court without needing permission from the higher court. This is different from an appeal by application, where permission must be obtained before the appeal can proceed.

• John was convicted of a crime and appealed the decision as of right to the appellate court.
• Mary's case was dismissed by the trial court, and she appealed the decision as of right to the appellate court.

These examples illustrate how a party can appeal a decision without needing permission from the higher court. As long as the appeal is filed within the time limit and meets the requirements, the party has the right to appeal the decision.