What term describes the initial document filed to begin appellate proceedings by notifying the court of the appeal?

• A. Notice of Entry
• B. Petition for Appeal
• C. Notice of Appeal
• D. Appeal Notice

Answer: (C)

The initial document that starts an appeal is the Notice of Appeal. In New York appellate practice, this notice is filed with the appellate court and served on all parties, and it identifies the judgment or order being appealed. It signals to the court and the other parties that the decision is being reviewed and begins the timeline for the appeal, which is governed by applicable deadlines (often tied to service of the judgment or its notice of entry). The term Notice of Entry refers to a separate document that informs everyone that a judgment has been entered and is used mainly to trigger or compute those deadlines; it is not the instrument that begins the appeal. Petition for Appeal and Appeal Notice aren’t the standard terms used to initiate an appeal in New York. So the best answer is the Notice of Appeal.