What does it mean when a court reverses a case?

• A. The appellate court remands the case for further proceedings.
• B. The appellate court disagrees with the lower court's result.
• C. The appellate court affirms the lower court's decision.
• D. The appellate court vacates the judgment.

Answer: (B)

Reversal means the appellate court did not agree with the lower court’s ruling and overturns it. The higher court finds an error in how the law was applied or in the way the case was decided, so the lower court’s decision is set aside. After a reversal, the case is often sent back to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with the appellate ruling (a remand), or, in some situations, the appellate court may enter a new judgment itself if the record supports it. This is different from simply affirming, which would leave the original ruling in place, and from vacating, which means the judgment is set aside without necessarily deciding the final outcome on the merits.