If a party does not like a trial court's decision, another way to seek relief is to appeal to a higher court. The first appeal usually is to the state's appellate court, although if the case has been decided in a small state or if the case involves an issue of substantial public importance, a direct appeal to the state's supreme court may be possible. The decision to appeal must be made promptly, often within thirty days of the trial court's decision. If the party wanting to appeal waits beyond the period provided by statute or court rule for filing a notice of appeal , the right to appeal may be lost. The notice of appeal is a document that lets the trial court, the appellate court, and the opposing party know that an appeal will be taken.
More appeals are unsuccessful than successful.
The likelihood of success depends on the facts of the case. Before taking an appeal, a party may wish to seek an outside opinion from an attorney who has not been connected with the case regarding the likelihood of success of the appeal. Sometimes the attorney who handled the trial has been so close to the case that he or she cannot be fully objective about the merits of an appeal. Everything you need for court related issues. The Intelligent Alternative to Court.