Testimony is recorded verbatim by a court reporter or electronically. Generally speaking, appeals courts confine their review of the lower court record to errors of law, not of fact. No new evidence is received on appeal. All this stands in marked contrast to what is usually found in civil law systems, where jury trials are for the most part unknown. In a given case, instead of a single continuous trial, a series of court hearings may be held over an extended period.
Documents play a more important role than witness testimony.
The judge actively investigates the case and also conducts the questioning of the witnesses. Instead of a verbatim record of the proceedings, the judge's notes and findings of fact comprise the record. Appeals may be taken both on the facts and the law, and the appeals court can and, sometimes does open the record to receive new evidence. Despite their differences, both the common and civil law systems have as their goal the just, speedy and inexpensive determination of disputes. U.S. courts have become particularly sensitive in recent years for the need to continuously reappraise their processes in order to improve the quality of justice.