Do I Have the Right to Appeal a Jury Verdict?

Following a jury verdict in a Tennessee civil case, both parties can appeal as a matter of right to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. For instance, if a person is injured in a Memphis, Tennessee auto accident and the trial results in a verdict for the defendant, the injured party has a right to an appeal.

The purpose of the appeal is not to reargue the entire case. Rather, the Court of Appeals will review the rulings of the trial court to make sure the trial court did not make any errors in applying the law to the case. For instance, if the trial court in a Fayette County medical malpractice lawsuit improperly admitted the evidence, the losing party could attack the trial court’s decision on appeal.

Moreover, it is not enough to simply show that the trial court made an error. It must be shown that the error caused the outcome to be different. An error that would not change the outcome of a case is considered “harmless error” and will not warrant a new trial.

If a party loses at the Tennessee Court of Appeals, the party can appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court. However, appeals to the Tennessee Supreme Court are not automatically accepted and are generally reserved for issues where the law is unclear, unsettled, or conflicting.

Bailey & Greer represents people with personal injury claims in Tennessee and Mississippi, including Memphis, Germantown, Bartlett, Cordova, Collierville, Arlington, Lakeland, and all of Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton Counties.We have also handled cases in Arkansas, Georgia, and Missouri.

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