Which document is commonly used to start an appeal by notifying the appellate court?

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

Answer: (D)

Starting an appeal is done by filing a Notice of Appeal. This document is the formal announcement to the appellate court that you intend to challenge a judgment or order. It is filed with the trial court and served on all adverse parties, and it provides essential details like which decision is being appealed, who is appealing, and from which court the appeal goes. Once the Notice of Appeal is filed, the case is placed on the appellate docket and the deadlines for perfecting the appeal begin.

A Notice of Entry serves a different purpose: it informs all parties that a judgment or order has been entered in the case and helps determine the timing for certain post-judgment steps, but it does not initiate the appeal itself. A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a remedy used to challenge unlawful detention, not to start an appeal. A Petition for Appeal isn’t the standard filing in New York appellate practice; the usual process is to begin with a Notice of Appeal.