If you were wrongfully convicted of a crime, you have the right to file an appeal. An appeal tells the court that there was a problem with the lower court proceedings, requiring a higher court to right the wrong.
However, appeals are a specialized area of law and are best handled by a skilled attorney with experience filing and arguing appeals. A Tolleson appeals lawyer has a deep understanding of criminal law and can craft a persuasive argument on your behalf.
If you were convicted of a crime, contact Grand Canyon Law Group. With our dedication and legal experience, you could change the outcome of your criminal trial.
A criminal appeal asks a higher court, usually the Arizona Court of Appeals, to review the proceedings that led to the conviction. An appeal asserts that the trial court made an error that resulted in a wrongful outcome. The appeal asks the court to throw out the result, vacate the verdict and order a new trial, or modify a sentence.
Rule 31.2(a)(2) allows a criminal defendant only 20 days to file a notice of appeal after conviction. A defendant will lose the right to appeal their conviction if they fail to file the notice in time, so it is critical to consult a Tolleson attorney immediately after a conviction.
If a defendant received a jail or prison sentence, they usually must begin serving their sentence after the conviction. Appeals usually do not delay incarceration, and unfortunately, the process is slow. It sometimes takes months for an appeal to appear on the court docket and several more months before the appeals court issues its decision.
Our criminal justice system guarantees criminal defendants a fair trial. Although most attorneys, judges, and law enforcement personnel strive to uphold that ideal, mistakes happen. Sometimes, a trial is unfair because of someone’s intentional misconduct. An appeal is a way to inform a higher court about an error and ask the higher court to correct it.
Our dedicated Tolleson lawyers could cite multiple grounds for appeal. After carefully reviewing the trial transcript, the evidence the prosecutor introduced, and the work of the defense lawyer at the trial level, our appeal attorneys could ask for relief based on the following:
Other grounds for appeal might arise in a specific case.
The appeal must prove that an error or prejudicial condition influenced the trial court. It also must establish that the error or condition was not trivial and affected the case’s outcome. If the appeals court finds a mistake prevented the defendant from receiving fair treatment, the court could vacate a conviction and order a new trial or provide other relief. The seasoned appeals attorneys at our firm will fight to preserve the rights of the wrongfully convicted.
In most cases, people convicted of a crime get only one chance at an appeal. Working with an attorney experienced in criminal appeals is critical to a successful outcome.
A Tolleson appeals lawyer at Grand Canyon Law Group has the experience and knowledge to craft a persuasive appellate brief that could convince the court to set aside the verdict in your case. Call us immediately after a conviction to get a hardworking advocate on your side.