Appeal vs. Petition — What's the Difference?

In law, an appeal is the process in which cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of clarifying and interpreting law.

A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication.

An earnest or urgent request, entreaty, or supplication.

A solemn supplication or request, especially to a superior authority; an entreaty.

A resort to a higher authority or greater power, as for sanction, corroboration, or a decision

A formal written document requesting a right or benefit from a person or group in authority.

A higher court's review of the correctness of a decision by a lower court.

A formal written application seeking a court's intervention and action on a matter

A case so reviewed.

A pleading initiating a legal case in some civil courts

A request for a higher court to review the decision of a lower court.

Something requested or entreated

The power of attracting or of arousing interest

To address a petition to

To make an earnest or urgent request, as for help.

To ask for by petition; request formally

To have recourse, as for corroboration; resort

To make a request, especially formally

(Law) To make or request an appeal.

A formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures.

To be attractive or interesting

A compilation of signatures built in order to exert moral authority in support of a specific cause.

To request for an appeal of (a case) to a higher court for rehearing.

(legal) A formal written request for judicial action.

(law)

A prayer; a supplication; an entreaty.

An application to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned.

(transitive) To make a request to, commonly in written form.

The legal document or form by which such an application is made; also, the court case in which the application is argued.

A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.

A person's legal right to apply to court for such a review.

A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; - in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document.

(historical) An accusation or charge against someone for wrongdoing (especially treason).

To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor.

(historical) A process which formerly might be instituted by one private person against another for some heinous crime demanding punishment for the particular injury suffered, rather than for the offence against the public; an accusation.

To make a petition or solicitation.

(historical) At common law, an accusation made against a felon by one of their accomplices (called an approver).

A formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

A call to a person or an authority for a decision, help, or proof; an entreaty, an invocation.

Reverent petition to a deity

(cricket) The act, by the fielding side, of asking an umpire for a decision on whether a batsman is out or not.

Write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing

(figuratively) A resort to some physical means; a recourse.

(figuratively) A power to attract or interest.

(rhetoric) A call to, or the use of, a principle or quality for purposes of persuasion.

(historical) A summons to defend one's honour in a duel, or one's innocence in a trial by combat; a challenge.

(law)

(intransitive) Often followed by against (the inferior court's decision) or to (the superior court): to apply to a superior court or judge for a decision or order by an inferior court or judge to be reviewed and overturned.

To apply to a superior court or judge to review and overturn (a decision or order by an inferior court or judge).

To accuse or charge (someone) with wrongdoing (especially treason).

Of a private person: to instituted legal proceedings (against another private person) for some heinous crime, demanding punishment for the particular injury suffered.

Of the accomplice of a felon: to make an accusation at common law against (the felon).

(intransitive) To call upon a person or an authority to corroborate a statement, to decide a controverted question, or to vindicate one's rights; to entreat, to invoke.

Of a fielding side; to ask an umpire for a decision on whether a batsman is out or not, usually by saying "How's that?" or "Howzat?".

(intransitive) To call upon someone for a favour, help, etc.

To have recourse or resort to some physical means.

To be attractive.

To summon (someone) to defend their honour in a duel, or their innocence in a trial by combat; to challenge.

To make application for the removal of (a cause) from an inferior to a superior judge or court for a rehearing or review on account of alleged injustice or illegality in the trial below. We say, the cause was appealed from an inferior court.

To summon; to challenge.

To invoke.

To apply for the removal of a cause from an inferior to a superior judge or court for the purpose of reëxamination of for decision.

To call upon another to decide a question controverted, to corroborate a statement, to vindicate one's rights, etc.; as, I appeal to all mankind for the truth of what is alleged. Hence: To call on one for aid; to make earnest request.

An application for the removal of a cause or suit from an inferior to a superior judge or court for reëxamination or review.

A summons to answer to a charge.

A call upon a person or an authority for proof or decision, in one's favor; reference to another as witness; a call for help or a favor; entreaty.

Resort to physical means; recourse.

Earnest or urgent request;

Attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates;

(law) a legal proceeding in which the appellant resorts to a higher court for the purpose of obtaining a review of a lower court decision and a reversal of the lower court's judgment or the granting of a new trial;

Request for a sum of money;

Take a court case to a higher court for review;

Request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection;

Be attractive to;

Challenge (a decision);

Cite as an authority; resort to;