Experienced Representation for Criminal Appeals in State & Federal Court
The criminal appeals process allows people to challenge the convictions handed down in lower courts when certain circumstances apply to their case. Crucial to the U.S. criminal justice system, appeals can help convicted individuals obtain justice when their case or rights may have been compromised during a previous trial.
For more than a decade, Brunswick Appellate Lawyer Jason Clark has been successfully litigating appeals in state and federal courts. Known for his experience, diligence and dedication to his clients, Attorney Jason Clark can help you determine whether your case qualifies for an appeal and, if so, help you position your appeal for the best possible outcome.
Grounds for Appeals
Appeals provide the opportunity for convicted people to point out the mistakes made in their case during the first trial; they are not, however, the time to argue for the “innocence” of the convicted individual.
Consequently, the grounds for appeals can include (but may not be limited to) the following:
- The lower court issued a biased, unreasonable or illegal motion in the first trial.
- The judge overseeing the first trial made some other serious error that violated the law and/or the rights of the accused.
- The available evidence does not support the guilty verdict
If an appeal is won or granted on any of these (or other) grounds, the appellate court can do some combination of the following:
- Overturn the verdict
- Remand the case to the lower court for a retrial
- Throw out some of the evidence and/or testimony
- Send additional instructions to the lower court for how the new trial is to proceed.
More Important Information about Appeals Cases
The Appeals Process
In general, the appeals process starts with writing and submitting a brief to the court, explaining why the individual in question deserves an appeal. If the appellate court agrees with the arguments in the brief, the oral arguments for the appeal may be heard. This process is very different from the criminal trial process, making it critical for convicted people to have an attorney who knows the deadlines, rules and requirements for Georgia and/or federal appeals representing them.
Guilty Pleas
Appeals are generally not an option in cases when the accused person pled guilty to the charges. One exception to this, however, can arise when someone, who has pled guilty, wished to change or withdraw the guilty plea during the original case. If, in these situations, a judge had refused to let the accused person change his guilty plea, there may be grounds for an appeal.
Contact Brunswick Criminal Defense Attorney Jason Clark
If you need professional advice regarding your options for an appeal – or if you are getting ready to prepare an appeal, contact Brunswick Criminal Defense Lawyer Jason Clark for experienced help and effective legal advocacy moving forward. You can contact our firm at 912.264.1999 or by the request form to find out more about how Attorney Jason Clark can help you.
From offices based in Brunswick, Attorney Jason Clark provides superior defense representation to clients throughout Brunswick, Darien, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Woodbine, Kingsland, St. Mary’s, Glynn County, McIntosh County, Camden County, the state of Georgia, and the U.S.