Legal Dictionary
Appellee
Definition
The party against whom an appeal is filed.
Deep Dive
The appellee is the party against whom an appeal is filed, meaning they were generally the prevailing party in the lower court's decision and now seek to uphold that outcome. When an appellant challenges a lower court's ruling, the appellee defends that ruling, arguing that the original decision was legally sound and free from reversible error. Their objective is to convince the appellate court to affirm the lower court's judgment.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1An individual who won a personal injury lawsuit defends the jury's award against the defendant's appeal.
- 2The government acts as the appellee when a convicted criminal appeals their sentence or conviction.
- 3A landlord defends a favorable eviction ruling against the tenant's appeal, arguing the lower court applied the law correctly.
Related Terms
AppellantRespondentPrevailing Party