What happens if the appellate court lacks jurisdiction and sends the case back to municipal court?

• A. The case is permanently ended.
• B. The municipal court cannot collect its judgment.
• C. The case is referred to a circuit court for review.
• D. The municipal court can then collect its judgment.

Answer: (D)

When an appellate court lacks jurisdiction, it cannot perform appellate review or modify the lower court’s decision. If it sends the case back to the municipal court, the lower court’s judgment remains valid and the court is then in position to enforce it. In practical terms, the municipal court can proceed to collect the amount awarded or take other enforcement steps to satisfy that judgment. The appeal hasn’t created a new path for review or ended the case; it simply returns to the issuing court so the judgment can be carried out.