Louisiana Private Investigator Licensing Practice Exam

Which party seeks to modify a court's order through an appeal?

1. Defendant

2. Appellant

3. Appellee

4. Advocate

The correct answer is: Appellant

The party that seeks to modify a court's order through an appeal is known as the appellant. The appellant is the individual or entity that is dissatisfied with a lower court's decision and is requesting a higher court to review and potentially change that decision. This is a fundamental aspect of the appellate process, where the appellant argues that errors were made during the trial or that the decision was unjust. In the context of legal proceedings, the roles of the other parties are distinct. The defendant typically refers to the party being accused or sued in a legal matter, and their role focuses primarily on defending against the claims made by the plaintiff. The appellee, on the other hand, is the party that opposes the appeal, often the one who won in the lower court, and their role is to argue for the maintenance of the lower court's ruling. An advocate is more of a general term referring to someone who supports a cause or represents a party but doesn't specifically denote a role in an appeal. Understanding these roles helps clarify how the appeal process functions and why the appellant is the one initiating the modification of the court's order.