If you are convicted of a crime after trial, or if you lose a case in a civil lawsuit, you can appeal the decision to the next highest court, which is called the appellate court. Appellate attorneys understand the specific and detailed rules that must be followed.  Appellate lawyers specialize in reviewing the court records for any errors of law that may have taken place, identifying the legal issues, preparing and filing of written briefs to the appellate court, and (when necessary) giving oral arguments before the appellate court.