Which is true if a court has appellate jurisdiction? the court must hear a case first. the court hears only cases involving foreign governments. the court hears only federal tax cases. the court can change the decision of a lower court.

If a court has appellate jurisdiction, it means that the court has the authority to review and potentially change the decisions of a lower court. So, the true statement is: the court can change the decision of a lower court. Appellate jurisdiction does not mean the court must hear a case first; that is original jurisdiction. Neither is it limited to cases involving foreign governments or only federal tax cases, as appellate courts generally hear appeals on a wide variety of issues.

Extra: Appellate jurisdiction is a key concept in the justice system, and it's important for ensuring that the law is applied correctly and consistently. When a case is appealed, the higher court, or appellate court, examines the record of the case from the trial court to determine whether there were errors in how the law was applied. If errors are found that could have affected the outcome of the case, the appellate court may reverse or modify the lower court's decision. It's worth noting that not all decisions made by lower courts are eligible for appeal; typically, only final judgments can be appealed. Also, the appellate court usually considers only legal issues raised in the lower court, not new evidence or facts. In many jurisdictions, parties have the right to appeal to an intermediate appellate court, and further appeal to a higher court (such as a supreme court) may be possible but is often discretionary, meaning the higher court chooses which cases it hears.