How does the appellate court relate to the Supreme Court?

Answer 1

Federal and state supreme courts (or their equivalent) are the highest appellate courts in their jurisdiction and have authority to make the final decision on a case under review.

Supreme courts usually have what's informally known as "intermediate appellate courts" immediately below them. In the federal judiciary, the US Supreme Court is higher than the thirteen US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts (intermediate appellate courts).

Some of the differences are:

1. The Supreme Courts set binding precedents for all courts in a given state or nation, whereas intermediate appellate courts only set binding precedents fewer courts or a smaller territory.
2. Supreme Courts have much more latitude (discretion) over the cases they hear; intermediate appellate courts have mandatory jurisdiction over more types of cases.
3. There is usually only one supreme court for a given state or nation (although Texas has two), but many intermediate appellate courts.
4. The intermediate appellate courts here more cases.
5. Supreme courts consider cases en banc (as a full court); intermediate appellate courts are more likely to assign one judge or a three-judge panel to review a case, although they do occasionally hear cases en banc, as well.