APPELLEES Meaning and
Definition
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Appellees is a plural noun that refers to the respondents or defendants in a legal case that has been appealed to a higher court. It specifically pertains to the party against whom an appeal is made. When a legal decision is challenged by the appellant (the party who initiates the appeal) and the case is brought before an appellate court, the appellees are typically the party or parties who won the previous trial or legal decision.
In the context of the appellate court proceedings, the appellees are required to respond to the arguments put forward by the appellant and defend the lower court's decision. They are responsible for presenting counter-arguments and supporting evidence, attempting to convince the appellate court to uphold the lower court's ruling. The appellees are given the opportunity to argue that the lower court's decision was correct and should not be reversed, modified, or remanded.
Throughout the appeal process, appellees are expected to present their case in a clear and persuasive manner, addressing each of the issues raised by the appellant. Their goal is to demonstrate that the decision made by the lower court was legally sound, based on the available evidence and applicable laws. If successful, the appellate court will affirm the lower court's decision and the appellees' victory.
In summary, appellees are the respondents or defendants who have won a previous legal case and are required to defend the lower court's decision in an appellate court.
Etymology of APPELLEES
The word "appellees" is derived from the verb "to appeal" and the suffix "-ee".
The verb "to appeal" comes from the Latin word "appellare", which means "to address, call upon, or summon". It was commonly used in legal contexts to denote the act of making an appeal or requesting a higher court to review a lower court's decision. Over time, "appeal" also came to mean simply "to ask for help or support".
The suffix "-ee" is attached to a verb to form a noun, indicating the recipient or target of the action. In this case, "-ee" transforms "appeal" into "appellee", meaning "the person or party against whom an appeal is taken" or "the defendant in an appeal".
