An appeal is a request to a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court. An appeal is not a new trial or rehearing. You will not be permitted to introduce new evidence. The higher court (known as the appellate court) can only determine if the lower court (or trial court) made a legal error in giving its decision. (Exception: Small Claims appeals are scheduled for a new trial.)
The first step in the appeal process is filing the written Notice of Appeal. This notice tells the other parties in the case and the court that you are appealing a decision of the trial court. The Notice of Appeal may be written on pleading paper or can be made by completing the form specific for the type of case you are appealing.
To determine where to file your notice of appeal, visit our Where to File page.
Filing deadlines depend on the type of case you are appealing. Please refer to the timelines for appeals for more information.
The filing fees for the Notice of Appeal can be found on our fees page.
Note: If your appeal is heard by the 4th District Court of Appeal, there is a separate filing fee to be paid to the Court of Appeal.
No filing fee is charged for infractions, misdemeanor or juvenile appeals.