In legal terms, how is 'de novo' fundamentally different from standard appellate review?

The term 'de novo' fundamentally signifies a fresh or new examination of a case as if it had not been previously decided. This type of review allows the reviewing court to consider all relevant facts and evidence without being bound by the findings or conclusions of the lower court. Therefore, the correct answer reflects that 'de novo' encompasses a comprehensive facts review, enabling the court to assess the entirety of the factual record and not just rely on the previous court’s judgment.

In contrast, other forms of appellate review typically focus on the legal conclusions drawn from the facts established in the lower court, often involving limited scrutiny of the facts themselves. This is why other options do not capture the essence of 'de novo' review. The 'de novo' standard disregards prior determinations and instead allows for an exhaustive re-evaluation, which is its distinguishing characteristic.