Legal Definitions - lower court

A lower court is a court that is considered inferior to another court. These courts typically include trial courts and intermediate appellate courts. The decisions made by these courts are subject to review or appeal by a higher (appellate) court.

For example, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considered a lower court in comparison to the U.S. Supreme Court. This means that any decisions made by the Circuit Court of Appeals can be reviewed or appealed by the Supreme Court.

Lower courts may also have limited jurisdiction, meaning they only have the authority to hear certain types of cases. For instance, a small claims court is a type of lower court that only handles cases involving small amounts of money.

Overall, lower courts play an important role in the judicial system by handling a large volume of cases and providing a first level of review for legal disputes.