Glossary
Notice of appeal
The document that starts an appeal. Filed in the trial court within a strict deadline (often 30 days from judgment), it tells everyone: opposing party, trial court, appellate court: that the case is moving up.
The deadline for filing a notice of appeal is one of the most unforgiving rules in litigation. Miss it by a day, and the appellate court usually has no power to hear the case. There are very narrow exceptions for extraordinary circumstances, but the safe assumption is "file by the deadline or lose the right forever."
The notice itself is short: usually just identifies the parties, the judgment being appealed, and the appellate court. The substantive arguments come later, in the appellate brief.