- About 2 minread
- General ideashold in most courts
- Checked October 26, 2026educational only
The short version
Appellate courts work from the record the trial court created. They usually do not hear new witnesses or accept new documents.
What an appeal can address
Appeals often ask whether the law was applied correctly or whether the procedure was fair.
What an appeal usually does not do
An appeal normally does not let you add facts that were not presented below.
Appeals take time
Appeals follow their own schedules, with briefs, and the outcome is not immediate.
