Legal Definitions - REV'D

REV'D is an abbreviation for Reversed.

In the legal system, when a higher court (such as an appellate court or supreme court) reverses a decision made by a lower court or administrative body, it means the higher court has overturned, invalidated, or set aside the lower court's ruling. This typically occurs because the higher court finds that the lower court made a significant legal error, misinterpreted the law, or committed a procedural mistake that affected the outcome of the case.

Here are some examples illustrating how the term "reversed" applies:

• Example 1: Criminal Conviction Overturned

  A defendant was convicted of a felony in a trial court. On appeal, the defendant's attorney argued that key evidence presented at trial was obtained through an illegal search and seizure, violating the defendant's constitutional rights. The appellate court reviewed the trial record and agreed that the evidence should have been excluded. As a result, the appellate court reversed the conviction, meaning the original guilty verdict is nullified, and the case might be sent back for a new trial without the inadmissible evidence, or the charges might be dismissed.

  This example illustrates "reversed" because the higher appellate court invalidated the lower trial court's judgment of conviction due to a legal error in admitting evidence.

• Example 2: Civil Judgment Modified

  In a civil lawsuit, a jury awarded a large sum of money to a plaintiff in a personal injury case. The defendant appealed, arguing that the trial judge gave incorrect instructions to the jury regarding the standard of care, which led to an inflated damages award. The appeals court reviewed the jury instructions and found that the judge had indeed misstated the law. The appellate court then reversed the judgment regarding the amount of damages, sending the case back to the trial court for a new trial solely on the issue of damages, or for the judge to recalculate damages based on correct legal principles.

  This example demonstrates "reversed" as the appellate court overturned a specific part of the lower court's judgment (the damages award) due to an error in legal instruction to the jury.

• Example 3: Administrative Agency Decision Invalidated

  A local zoning board, an administrative body, denied a homeowner's application to build an addition to their house, citing a specific zoning ordinance. The homeowner appealed this decision to a state court, arguing that the zoning board misinterpreted the ordinance and applied it incorrectly to their property. The court reviewed the ordinance and the board's reasoning and concluded that the board's interpretation was indeed erroneous. The court then reversed the zoning board's decision, compelling the board to reconsider the application under the correct interpretation of the ordinance, or to approve the permit.

  This example shows "reversed" in the context of a court overturning an administrative body's decision because the agency misapplied the relevant law or regulation.