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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Filing an Appeal: What to Expect

After a conviction and sentencing, a criminal defendant has the right to file an appeal, especially when the verdict and sentence are the results of a trial. Defendants who plead guilty should first seek permission to appeal the conviction. Here’s what you can expect from an appeals process. 

Requirements of Filing an Appeal

When you file for an appeal, bear in mind that it isn’t meant to be a retrial but a re-examination of the trial’s proceedings to ensure that procedures were conducted in an impartial manner. As the party filing the appeal, you will be required to submit copies of the trial court transcripts to the appellate court, as well as written briefs and all the evidence used in the trial. Oral arguments may be asked for, but you can expect these to be shorter than what was experienced during the trial.

Hope for the Innocent

Appeals are critical to giving wrongly convicted people a second chance. If you believe that a legal error occurred during your case and you want to fight for your innocence, the appeals process offers hope for you. Your trial lawyer can help in the appeal, but it might be better to consult another criminal lawyer to have your case reviewed for issues that will help your appeal.

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