A federal or state court which hears appeals made after a decision is rendered in a lower court, such as a trial court. Typically refers to the middle of three courts that exist on the state and federal level.
Law Dictionary – Alternative Legal Definition
In American law. An appellate tribunal which, in Kentucky, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New York, is the court of last resort. In Delaware and New Jersey, it is known as the “court of errors and appeals;” in Virginia and West Virginia, the “supreme court of appeals.” In Texas the court of appeals is Inferior to the supreme court.