appellee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (C2+)Formal, Technical/Legal
Quick answer
What does “appellee” mean?
The party in a legal case who is responding to an appeal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The party in a legal case who is responding to an appeal; the one who has won in a lower court and must defend the judgment against the appellant's challenge.
Primarily a legal term of art. In appellate procedure, the appellee is the respondent who argues that the lower court's decision was correct. In some jurisdictions, synonymous with 'respondent'. The role is passive in the sense that the appellee is not the initiator of the appeal but the defender of the status quo.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British/Commonwealth legal systems, 'respondent' is the overwhelmingly preferred term. 'Appellee' is almost exclusively an American legal term, though its usage is declining even there in favour of 'respondent'.
Connotations
In the US, 'appellee' carries a formal, traditional connotation, often found in older statutes and case law. 'Respondent' is seen as more modern and broadly applicable.
Frequency
Extremely rare in UK English. Low-to-moderate frequency in formal American legal writing, but less common than 'respondent' in contemporary usage.
Grammar
How to Use “appellee” in a Sentence
[The] + appellee + [verb e.g., argues, contends, moves][Appellee] + 's + [noun e.g., brief, counsel, position]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “appellee” in a Sentence
adjective
American English
- The appellee's brief was exceptionally well-argued.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used outside of specific legal discussions.
Academic
Used only in law schools and scholarly legal publications, specifically in procedural or comparative law contexts.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
The core context. Used in American legal filings, court opinions, and law reviews discussing appellate procedure.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “appellee”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “appellee”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “appellee”
- Misspelling as 'appelee' or 'apellee'.
- Using it as a general synonym for 'defendant'.
- Pronouncing it /əˈpɛl/ (like the verb 'appeal') instead of /ˌæp.əˈliː/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 'defendant' is a party in a trial court being sued. An 'appellee' is a party in an appellate court defending a lower court's judgment. The appellee could have been the defendant or the plaintiff in the lower court.
No. It is a highly technical legal term. Using it outside of a legal context would be confusing and inappropriate.
The appellant is the party who initiates the appeal, seeking to overturn the lower court's decision. The appellee is the party who won below and is now defending that decision against the appeal.
There is a trend toward standardization and simplification in legal language. 'Respondent' is a broader, clearer term that works in various procedural contexts (appeals, certiorari, etc.), making 'appellee' seem unnecessarily specific and archaic.
The party in a legal case who is responding to an appeal.
Appellee is usually formal, technical/legal in register.
Appellee: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæp.əˈliː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæp.əˈliː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sequence: Someone APPEALS, so they are the APPELLANT. The person they appeal AGAINST is the APPELLEE (it has the 'ee' suffix, like 'employee', indicating the one who is acted upon).
Conceptual Metaphor
LEGAL DISPUTE IS A JOURNEY (UPWARD): The appellant is trying to move the case 'up' to a higher court; the appellee is the one trying to keep it 'down' or in its current place.
Practice
Quiz
In modern British legal terminology, which term is most commonly used instead of 'appellee'?