Appellate Lawyer in Orlando

Giving You a Chance To Get a Better Outcome on Your Case

Panella Law Firm Accepts Cases Throughout Florida

When a trial ends with an unfavorable outcome, you may be facing years in prison and lasting charges on your criminal record. However, a trial verdict doesn’t have to be the end of your fight for justice. Even after a trial is over, it’s possible to regain your freedom. Our Orlando criminal appellate lawyers can assess your trial outcome and fight to have a bad ruling overturned.

When you need a second chance after a ruling that doesn’t go your way, our criminal appeals lawyers at Panella Law Firm have deep experience and the knowledge to give you the best representation possible. Call our Orlando, Florida law firm to schedule your free consultation.

What Does an Appellate Attorney Do?

When you’re charged with a crime, you will navigate the legal system with the help of a trial lawyer. Once a judgment on your trial is entered and the criminal procedure is over, your trial lawyer’s job is done. If you’re not satisfied with the ruling on your case, you may be able to appeal it after your trial. However, to move forward with this step, you must hire an appellate attorney rather than a criminal defense lawyer.

Simply put, a different court needs a different lawyer, and an appellate lawyer is qualified to appeal a trial outcome. In fact, the job of an appellate attorney is to demonstrate to a group of appellate judges that some element of your trial insufficiently upheld the standard of justice. So, while a trial attorney gathers evidence and selects witnesses to get a not-guilty verdict for clients, an appellate attorney carefully examines the trial proceedings to ensure they were fair and accurate.

More specifically, when an appellate attorney agrees to take your case, they’ll thoroughly review all aspects of your trial. This means they will likely review:

• Trial transcripts
• Evidence
• Witnesses
• Testimony
• Pretrial motions
• Reasons for the verdict

If a criminal appellate lawyer can show that mismanagement of some aspect of the legal process impacted the trial’s outcome, the ruling could be overturned on the grounds that due process was not followed in the trial court. This could lead to a different outcome for your case. So, if you’re unsatisfied with your case results, you should contact Orlando, Florida appellate lawyers to find out if you have grounds to appeal. Call our law firm to schedule a free initial consultation with experienced appellate attorneys.

What Are Some Grounds for Appeal of a Trial Court Decision?

It’s important to know that you can’t decide to file an appeal merely because you didn’t like or agree with the outcome you got in a trial court. Typically, to qualify for an appeal, your attorney must be able to show that an error was made during the case. There also must be proof that the error affected the decision made in the trial court.

Fortunately, an experienced appellate lawyer is familiar with the thousands of appeal arguments that can be made based on errors during the trial and the events leading up to it. So, when you reach out to a Florida appeals lawyer, they can examine the details of your case to identify any mistakes that affected the results.

Some examples of grounds for an appeal include:

• Improper exclusion of a witness
• Ineffective assistance of counsel
• Improper jury instruction
• Insufficient evidence for a guilty verdict
• Violation of Fifth Amendment rights protecting against self-incrimination
• Improper ruling on expert testimony

There’s an argument to be made against nearly every aspect of an arrest and subsequent trial. An experienced self-defense lawyer knows how to review the documentation thoroughly, find where a relevant argument can be made, and then make that argument to the appellate judges in defense of your rights. If you want to explore the possibility of appealing the outcome of your case, contact our law firm to talk to civil and criminal appeals lawyers who can help.

What Is the Appeals Process in Orlando, Florida?

If you believe there was an error that affected the outcome of your case in a Central Florida trial court, it’s helpful to know what to expect from the appeals process before you get started. Of course, the process can be complicated, so you’ll likely have some questions. This is why it’s essential to hire the right appellate lawyers in Orlando to have legal guidance on the way to a successful appeal.

Know Which Court Will Handle Your Appeal

First, you should know which of Florida’s appellate courts will hear appeals for different cases. After all, certain state and federal courts can handle appeals for specific case types. For example, a circuit court can consider appeals on rulings from county courts, such as cases involving traffic offenses and misdemeanors. If you live in Orlando, Florida, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court might handle your appeal.

On the other hand, if your case was tried in a circuit court and you wish to appeal the ruling made by the circuit judge, you can go through the District Court of Appeal. Such courts typically handle appeals that involve felonies, juvenile offenses, probate court, family law cases, and civil cases involving over $50,000.

The Florida Supreme Court may also handle appeals on such cases, depending on the circumstances. Additionally, only the Florida Supreme Court can handle appeals on death penalty cases. If you’re unsure which court handles appellate cases like yours, rest assured that your Florida appeals lawyer will file your Notice of Appeal by the deadline and tell you which circuit or district court will handle your case.

Obtain a Record on Appeal

Another task for civil and criminal appeal lawyers is to request a record on appeal from the trial court clerk. This should include most documents filed with the court during your trial.

However, not all documents will automatically be included. So, your lawyer may need to specifically request and pay extra fees for paperwork that could be important to your case, such as courtroom transcripts.

This is why it’s important to hire attorneys who are experienced with appellate law, as they need to know which documents are essential to your case. The attorneys at our Orlando, Florida law firm are well versed in appellate law for civil and criminal cases, so contact us for help appealing the final judgment from your case.

Submit a Brief

Once your Florida appeals lawyer has the essential documents, they’ll review them to determine if there were errors in the case. If they find any, they’ll create an initial brief that identifies them, along with supporting materials that may include references to statutes or other cases.

The brief must include several elements, including a table of contents, a summary of the argument, an explanation of each supporting point, and a short conclusion that explains the desired changes to the outcome. Experienced appeals lawyers in Orlando should know the appellate law process well enough to submit a comprehensive brief that can make a difference on your case’s final judgment.

Prepare an Oral Argument

After your lawyer submits the brief, the opposing side will review it. They can then file their own answer brief if they disagree with the brief sent by the appeals lawyer. In some cases, the appellate court will decide based only on written briefs.

However, sometimes they’ll request an oral argument before deciding, or an attorney involved in the case will request the opportunity to make an oral argument. If the request is granted, your lawyer will go before a panel of appellate judges to explain why your case outcome should be altered. Different appellate courts allow lawyers varying amounts of time for the oral argument. For example, the Supreme Court may allow up to an hour for oral arguments, while federal appeals courts usually offer much less time.

Once the briefs and oral arguments have been completed by the appellate lawyer, Orlando appeals courts may spend a few months reviewing the information. Their decision on what to do can range from requesting a new trial or sentencing phase to dismissing a charge or upholding a ruling. Regardless of the outcome, the lawyer for your criminal or civil appeals case will ensure you fully understand the appellate court’s decision.

Are You Ready to Speak to a Skilled Orlando Appellate Lawyer?

If you’re searching for skilled appellate lawyers in Orlando, look no further than Panella Law Firm. Our attorneys excel at the criminal and civil appeals process in Florida. Attorney Michael Panella is a proud member of The Florida Bar and has won the Avvo Client Choice Award for four consecutive years because of his track record of success in aggressively defending his clients’ rights.

Furthermore, Panella Law Firm offers a long list of overwhelmingly positive client testimonials. Clients often rave about us because Attorney Michael Panella’s appellate representation changes lives through a variety of cases, including:

• Criminal appeals
• Assault
• DUI
• Drug charges
• Family law issues
• Self-defense law

Client reviews of the Panella Law Firm speak loudly, as do our law firm’s litigation results. Client results include having felonies reduced to civil citations and multiple double-digit prison sentences ending with all charges cleared. If the opportunity to get a similar outcome sounds good to you, it’s time to talk to an Orlando appellate lawyer you can trust to successfully navigate the criminal appeals process.

Fortunately, Panella Law Firm has an outstanding track record for cases demanding in-depth knowledge of appellate law. So when you need a criminal appeal lawyer in Orlando to handle your appellate needs, the choice is clear. Our caring, skilled Florida attorneys are eager to talk to you during a free consultation.

If you’re considering a criminal appeal in Orlando, you have a very short window of time in which to act. You don’t want to miss it, because a successful criminal appeal can change your future by restoring your freedom. Panella Law Firm is passionate about fighting to restore justice through an appeal when the legal system has failed to protect your rights.

If you find yourself in need of legal assistance when dealing with the state or federal circuit courts, our experienced team is here to support you through every step. When it’s time to fight for your rights, the most important decision you make is the criminal appeal lawyer in Orlando you choose to represent you in appellate court. If you’re ready to discuss your case with attorneys who are part of The Florida Bar and have a thorough understanding of appellate law, contact our Orlando law firm at 407-602-6559 for a free consultation.