Which court hears appeals of criminal cases?

• A. Court of Appeals
• B. Supreme Court
• C. District Court
• D. Court of Criminal Appeals

Answer: (D)

Criminal appeals in Tennessee are handled by a court dedicated to reviewing criminal convictions. This court examines the trial record to check for legal errors or improper procedures that could have changed the outcome, such as incorrect jury instructions, faulty evidentiary rulings, or misapplication of the law. Because its focus is specifically on criminal matters, it’s the proper venue for challenging a conviction or sentence on appeal. The Court of Criminal Appeals serves this purpose, functioning separately from the Court of Appeals—which handles many civil appeals and other matters—and ultimately under the Supreme Court, which reviews cases on a discretionary basis after the intermediate courts.