After being convicted of a crime, it may feel like your life is over. However, a criminal conviction does not have to be the end of your legal process. A defendant found guilty of a criminal offense can file an appeal and other post-conviction relief petitions that challenge the conviction and sentencing of a case, and an appellate lawyer is your best chance when filing these appeals. To learn more about how an appellate lawyer can help with your criminal conviction, call or contact The Appellate Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation of your case.
Filing a Criminal Appeal
The first option immediately after a criminal conviction is to file a criminal appeal. In most states, a criminal defendant only has 30 days from the final judgment in which to file a notice of appeal with the courts. A defendant cannot simply file an appeal because they believe that the jury got the verdict wrong. There must be an appealable issue of substantive law or procedure that occurred during the trial that made a material and substantial change in the outcome of the case.
The appeal takes the case to the next level of the courts, the appellate court. Here, an appeals lawyer files a written brief detailing the legal issues on appeal, responds to the state’s brief, and prepares oral arguments in front of appellate judges. The appeals court can either affirm the conviction of the trial court, reverse the conviction, or remand the case back to the trial court with specific instructions on a specific element of the case.
What are Grounds for Appeal?
Someone convicted of a crime is not always able to appeal that conviction. An appeals lawyer can answer any questions you have about whether you can appeal your criminal conviction. In general, you cannot appeal your case just because you dislike your verdict. There needs to be legally valid grounds for your appeal. Typically, grounds for appeal involve an error in the legal process that prevented the defendant from getting a fair trial.
Some common grounds for appeals include the following:
- Court wrongly admitted/refused to admit evidence in the case
- The police gathered evidence against you using improper search and seizure
- Errors of law made by the trial judge
- The prosecutor engaged in unlawful conduct
- Trial judge gave improper jury instructions
- One or more jurors engaged in misconduct
- Ineffective assistance of counsel
There are many more grounds for appealing your verdict. To learn more about the appeals process and other ways that an appeals lawyer can help after a criminal conviction, talk to our office today.
Contact an Experienced Appellate Attorney for Help With Your Case
Are you interested in learning more about how an appellate lawyer can help with your criminal conviction or a conviction of a loved one? If so, call the office or contact us today at The Appellate Law Firm to schedule an evaluation of your case and learn more about your legal options from one of our experienced appellate law attorneys.