Legal Definitions - direct appeal

Definition: Direct appeal is a legal process where a party appeals a trial court's decision directly to the highest court in the jurisdiction, bypassing review by an intermediate appellate court.

Example: In some cases, direct appeal may be authorized when the case involves the constitutionality of a state law. For instance, if a state law is challenged as unconstitutional, the party challenging the law may file a direct appeal to the state's highest court instead of going through an intermediate appellate court.

Explanation: Direct appeal is a legal process that allows parties to bypass intermediate appellate courts and appeal directly to the highest court in the jurisdiction. This process is usually authorized in cases that involve important legal issues, such as constitutional challenges to state laws. The example illustrates how a party challenging a state law's constitutionality may use direct appeal to expedite the legal process and get a quicker resolution to their case.