<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article possibly contains original research . Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations . Statements consisting only of original research should be removed . (October 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article possibly contains original research . Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations . Statements consisting only of original research should be removed . (October 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in many legal jurisdictions . Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and highest (or final) court of appeal . Broadly speaking, the decisions of a supreme court are not subject to further review by any other court . Supreme courts typically function primarily as appellate courts, hearing appeals from decisions of lower trial courts, or from intermediate - level appellate courts . </P> <P> However, not all highest courts are named as such . Civil law states tend not to have a single highest court . Additionally, the highest court in some jurisdictions is not named the "Supreme Court", for example, the High Court of Australia; this is because decisions by the High Court could formerly be appealed to the Privy Council . On the other hand, in some places the court named the "Supreme Court" is not in fact the highest court; examples include the New York Supreme Court, the Supreme Courts of several Canadian provinces / territories and the former Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales and Supreme Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland, which are all subordinate to higher courts of appeal . </P>

What is the basis of supreme court decisions