Connecticut Appeals Lawyer
Even after a loss at trial, an appeal can give you another chance at winning your case. Whether you are seeking to defend or overturn a decision of the trial court, the assistance of an experienced Connecticut appeals lawyer is invaluable when seeking an appeal.
If you believe the judge in your case applied the law incorrectly that your trial lawyer did not represent you faithfully, an appeal can give you a second chance at obtaining a fair result.
On the other hand, if you received a favorable outcome at the trial that is now being appealed by the other side, your appellate attorney can help protect your original verdict from being overturned.
Being convicted of a crime does not have to be the end of your fight to protect your legal rights. Our criminal lawyers will help you understand what legal issues can affect the outcome of your appeal, and will help you present your case in a way that maximizes your chances of success.
How an Appeals Attorney Can Assist You
Appealing a court’s prior decision is an entirely different process than is winning a case at trial. When defending against a criminal charge in trial, your Connecticut appeals lawyer must present evidence, witnesses, and legal arguments to support your case. In contrast, an appeal focuses solely on the legal issues that were argued and determined at the trial level.
If you have been convicted of a crime and want to appeal your verdict, you will have to prove that the law was not followed during your original trial proceedings. Because the success of your appeal will depend on purely legal issues, obtaining the assistance of experienced appeals attorney in Connecticut is very important.
You will need someone who can communicate to the court the legal reasons why your prior verdict should be overturned. A successful appeal can result in your sentence being reduced or modified, or an entirely new trial being ordered.
The Appellate Process in Connecticut
Anyone who is convicted of a crime in the state of Connecticut is entitled to appeal the trial court’s decision. A successful appeal can result in you receiving a more lenient sentence, or being given the opportunity to present your defenses anew.
When you appeal a trial court decision, the appellate judge is charged to determine whether or not the law was faithfully carried out in reaching your sentence. If an appellate court ultimately determines that the law was not interpreted or applied correctly in your trial, they have the power to modify your sentence or order a retrial.
An appeal of a trial court’s decision is concerned only with the legal issues that were raised in your original trial. An appellate court judge does not hear testimony or examine new evidence during the appeals process; they rely entirely on the record of the lower court for factual issues relating to your case.
Appeals focus solely on whether or not the laws and legal theories that determined the outcome of your case were faithfully interpreted by the trial court, as those laws applied to your specific circumstances.
Appellate advocacy is a highly specialized area of the law. The skills needed to successfully appeal a court decision are very different from those needed to defend against charges in trial. At trial, the judge is concerned with determining the truth of what occurred, as well as whether or not the prosecution can prove all the required elements of its case.
However, the appellate judge will instead consider arguments from each side regarding theory, prior case law, and legal precedent relating to your conviction.
You will need a local appeals lawyer with a firm grasp of the laws applying to your case who has experience framing legal issues in the appellate setting to give you the best chance of obtaining a favorable outcome.
Contact a Connecticut Appeals Attorney Today
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your trial, you are entitled to appeal the court’s decision. However, strict time limits apply to appealing different types of sentences – you must move quickly after receiving your verdict in order to preserve your right to appeal.
Because the appellate process is so different from that of a typical trial, an appeal requires the assistance of a lawyer with experience in this highly specialized area of the law.
Whether you are seeking to appeal a decision or wish to defend your original outcome, be sure you equip yourself with an experienced appellate attorney to help you defend your legal rights. Contact one of our Connecticut appeals lawyer to discuss your case today!