In relation to an appeal from one court to another, the lower court is the court whose decision is being reviewed, which may be the original trial court or an appellate court lower in rank than the superior court which is hearing the appeal.
In an absolute sense, a lower court is always the trial court.
Relative to other trial courts, a lower court is a court of limited jurisdiction, especially one that is limited to hearing minor offenses, or civilactions involving a limited amount, as distinct from a superior court.
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