united-states appeal
What happens if a judge renders a wrong verdict by misinterpreting the law?
<p>There are probably numerous instances, but I'll use the one I'm most familiar with.</p>
<p>You sue a debt collector for violating your rights, as illustrated in the linked <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqKzyNrhD5A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">video</a>.
There is a 12 month statute of limitations for you to sue, which extends from the most recent violation. There have been &quot;numerous&quot; violations. The judge wrongly throws out your suit because it has been more than twelve months since the first violation (but not the most recent one, as provided for by law). (See the comments to the video, not the video itself.)</p>
<p>Suppose the ruling is incorrect on its face. What do you do to vacate or overturn it? I would guess that this might involve an appeal, although one commenter suggested a motion to reconsider. Is this a relatively routine process of pointing out the error or is it one where the judge might fight &quot;tooth and nail&quot; against having a ruling overturned even if it is obviously wrong?</p>

<p>You file an appeal.</p>
<p>In federal courts, the procedure is governed by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, and the process begins with filing a notice of appeal under <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frap/rule_4" rel="noreferrer">Rule 4</a>. The process is fairly similar in all the state courts, as far as I know.</p>
<p>If you've identified a problem with a ruling other than the final decision of your case, you could also file a motion for reconsideration under <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_60" rel="noreferrer">Rule 60</a> of the Rules of Civil Procedure. You would typically not use this procedure to contest the court's final judgment, as it would likely take so long to decide that your opportunity to appeal would be expired.</p>
