Appeals/Post-Conviction

You have the right to a direct appeal of a criminal conviction. In an appeal, you argue that mistakes were made during your trial/pre-trial motions and that your conviction should be reversed. Possible reasons to appeal include improper denial of a motion to suppress, ineffective assistance of counsel, errors in jury selection, improper jury instructions, mistakes in evidentiary rulings, and sentencing errors. These mistakes must be based on something in the “record”: the written documents filed in your case and things that were said in court. During our initial consultation, we will discuss the possible grounds for appeal in your case.

If you think mistakes were made in your case that are not part of the trial record, or if your direct appeal was denied, you may be able to file a post-conviction petition. Often based on claims of ineffective assistance of counsel or actual innocence, post-conviction petitions (through affidavits and other evidence) allow you to make claims outside of what was in the trial record of your case. If successful, your conviction or sentence may be vacated.