Legal Question in Business Law in Pennsylvania

business law

What is the difference between original and appellate juristiction of a court?


Asked on 1/16/00, 11:35 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Re: business law

Original jurisdiction is trial-court jurisdiction. For the most part, in Pennsylvania that is the Court of Common Pleas (C.C.P.) in each county (or District Justice [small claims] Court). Appellate jurisdiction is for appeals: in Pennsylvania primarily Commonwealth Court (mainly government-related appeals from C.C.P.), Superior Court (all other appeals from C.C.P.), and Supreme Court (appeals from Superior Court and Commonwealth Court). In federal court, the basic structure is U.S. District Court (trial court), then appeal to U.S. Court of Appeals, then appeal to U.S. Supreme Court. This is a broad-brush outline and omits many nuances of the court systems. In the law nothing is ever simple, so some appellate courts have trial court jurisdiction in limited areas.

This is general information for discussion purposes. We would have to have an attorney-client relationship for me to give legal advice.

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Answered on 1/21/00, 4:25 pm


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