Which describes the Court of Appeals?

• A. It has original jurisdiction over criminal trials.
• B. It consists of 14 judges appointed for life.
• C. It has appellate jurisdiction only and is divided into three judge panels.
• D. It handles jury trials in civil cases.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that this court reviews decisions, not tries cases. A Court of Appeals handles appellate work, meaning it looks at how the lower court applied the law and whether any legal errors affected the outcome, rather than taking testimony or presenting new evidence. Because of that role, it has appellate jurisdiction only and does not conduct jury trials. Decisions are typically made by panels of three judges who assess the record and written arguments to decide whether to uphold or reverse the lower court’s decision. In Kentucky, this setup—appellate jurisdiction only and three-judge panels—fits the Court of Appeals perfectly, making it the best description.