Which description fits appellate courts best?

Appellate courts are designed specifically to review the decisions made by lower trial courts. Their primary role is to hear appeals, where parties who are dissatisfied with the outcome of a trial seek a review of the case, usually to identify errors in the application of the law or procedural issues that may have affected the trial’s outcome. Unlike trial courts, appellate courts do not conduct trials, listen to witness testimony, or hear new evidence; instead, they focus on legal arguments and determine whether the law was applied correctly in the original case.

In contrast, the other choices describe attributes that do not align with the functions of appellate courts. For instance, holding trials with a jury pertains to trial courts, not appellate courts. Also, the exclusive handling of criminal cases is inaccurate, as appellate courts often hear both civil and criminal appeals. Lastly, being the first level of courts is an attribute of trial courts, while appellate courts are typically the second tier in the judicial hierarchy. This clarification underscores why the function of hearing appeals from lower courts is the most accurate description of appellate courts.