What can I do if I’ve been found guilty at trial?

Criminal Appeals

If you have been found guilty of the crime you were charged with at trial you may follow the step in the criminal justice process by filing for an appeal of the conviction.

This is the step before post-conviction relief and in essence asks a higher court to review your case for any errors that were made in terms of the conviction or the sentence.

The appeal process includes only those things about your case that could arguably be considered legal mistakes that had an affect on the jury’s decision. This is not an opportunity to present new evidence.
The records that a higher court will review in the criminal appeal process includes a transcript of the proceedings from the court reporter detailing everything that was said in court, as well as anything else that was submitted into evidence such as objects, documents, or statements.

The criminal appeals process is difficult and contains a number of necessary legal documents and procedures that are best handled by a criminal defense attorney. John MacDonald has extensive experience as a criminal defense and post conviction relief attorney, and can represent you in your appeal.

The process of appealing a criminal conviction also involves filing a legal brief to the court for the purpose of underlining and highlighting the reasons of facts of law where an error was made and why the conviction was wrong. The government will also file their own brief discussing why the conviction was proper and should stand.

Typically, an appellant will have the chance to respond to the government’s brief with another of their own, and before the court reaches a decision, both sides may present an argument in person. Although your appeal may take some time to be heard, it is important that you notify the court of your intent to do so as soon after your conviction as possible.
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If you have questions about this posting or are interested in Criminal Defense, Divorce, or Immigration Law in RI contact Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer John E. MacDonald at 401-421-1440.

To learn more about The Law Office of John MacDonald, please visit his website at AggressiveLegalServices.com.