The Candid Review: A Blog About Appeals

There may come a time in your life when you need to appeal a faulty conviction whether it happened in civil or criminal court. Sometimes a conviction is a very simple thing that only inconveniences you slightly. Then again, a conviction could be much more serious – it could lead a situation that lands you on probation, or even worse, in jail. There is a common misconception in America that if you are innocent, you need nothing more than the truth on your side and you will walk free.

The justice system is a bit more complicated than that, and if you want to come out on top, you are absolutely going to need not only a winning strategy, but an attorney that can act on it. Appeal attorneys Tampa are easy to find, but you need one that is experienced, and one that can effectively tell the difference between a trial and an appeal. So the biggest question right now, is what the difference is between a regular trial and an appeal trial? They are both trials, aren’t they? The truth is that there is a huge difference and not many people realize it until the time comes.  Let’s take a look at the differences and what you will need if you are to succeed.

The Difference and Why you Need Appeals Attorneys Tampa FL

First of all when you attend a standard trial, you will typically find that it deals with a jury. So long as you pled ‘not guilty’ during your initial hearing/arraignment, you are entitled to a jury trial, and if you are here, then you were obviously not successful in that endeavor. That being the case, you would move on to an appellate trial which involves a panel of judges rather than a jury of your peers. This process will involve an appellate record, among other things, however in an appeal, the panel does not hear any new evidence.

If new evidence has surfaced which may contribute to your acquittal, the appeal will determine whether or not you should be granted a new trial. In addition to that, they will determine whether or not any mistakes were made regarding the first verdict. In some cases, a verdict can be rendered that clearly goes against the weight of the evidence and this will most certainly necessitate an appeal. There are plenty of instances that require an appeal lawyer, but now, why shouldn’t you trust your appeal to your trial lawyer?

Why you Need an Appeals Attorney Tampa Florida

So why exactly should you hire an appeal attorney Tampa Florida rather than retaining your trial attorney? After all, your trial attorney IS familiar with the case, right? While that is true, you must also consider that your trial lawyer may be emotionally invested in the case which could impede your outcome. That said, you might want to consider an appeals attorney who has no emotional investment and has nothing but a raw outline of the case to read. This will give you an advantage, and in a way, an clean slate. There are, however, other reasons for which you might want to hire an appellate lawyer to handle your case.

For one thing, the appellate attorney is more familiar with the appellate court proceedings. This is not to say that your trial lawyer is incompetent, but rather that an appellate lawyer has a different set of skills than a trial attorney. In addition to that, appellate attorneys will obviously be far more familiar with the members of the appellate court which could give you a bit of an advantage.

The choice to hire Tampa federal criminal appeal attorneys will be up to you, of course, but before you make a decision, there are a few things that you should be well aware of. First of all, if you are at the stage where you need to consider an appeal, there is a good chance that there is more than paperwork at stake. Your life may be on the line whether it is your reputation, or your freedom. These are not things that you want to play with by entrusting yourself to an inexperienced attorney, or one that is not suited for the appellate court. Instead, give us a call and let us see what we can do for your case. You need to prepare for your appeal as far in advance as you possibly can, and you need to make sure you are properly prepared for what is ahead. We’re ready to help you, if you’re willing to ask.