Pennsylvania Criminal Appeals
You Are Entitled to an Appeal
If you have been found guilty of a crime, you are entitled to an appeal to a higher court which will review your trial and possibly reverse the guilty verdict or grant a new trial. An appeal can challenge many aspects of your trial including prosecutorial misconduct, judicial errors, ineffective assistance of your previous lawyer, and other grounds for appeal. Because there are strict time limits for filing post-trial motions and appeals, you should act immediately to retain an experienced appellate attorney. The appellate attorneys at Kope & Associates have successfully handled many appeals for people who have been convicted of state and federal crimes.
If you have been convicted of a crime Pennsylvania, it is important to contact the appellate lawyers at Kope & Associates as soon as possible.
Appeals can be complicated and few criminal defense attorneys will handle a criminal appeal. The attorneys at Kope & Associates are aggressive in seeking relief through appeals whenever there is a possibility that it will result in a reversal, retrial or a more advantageous sentence for their clients. If you are determined to fight for your liberty, start by hiring a Pennsylvania criminal appeals lawyer who can see your case through to the end. Even if someone else initially handled your case, the attorneys at Kope & Associates can handle your appeal.
The attorneys at Kope & Associates can get involved in your appeal immediately after a guilty verdict, requesting, through oral motion, the judge to reassess your case prior to rendering a sentence. The trial judge will review your case, decide if there were any trial errors, and quickly decide if there will be a new trial. If such a request is unsuccessful, the attorneys at Kope & Associates will continue with your appeal by arguing post-sentence issues and filing the necessary appeals with the appellate court.
The attorneys at Kope & Associates have helped people with their criminal appeals for a wide range of offenses. An appeal can be filed when mistakes are made by judges, attorneys or jurors in the original trial. We will carefully explore all facets of your original trial, asking these important questions to determine whether or not there are grounds for appeal:
- Was evidence used against you that should have been thrown out?
- Was evidence that might have helped you not admitted?
- Were there procedural mistakes made during the course of your trial?
- Did the judge overlook critical information that should have been considered?
- Was the prosecution allowed to make arguments it should not have?
- Was the jury given clear and appropriate instructions?
- Was your sentence excessive or inappropriate?
- Was there gang misconduct?
- Did the witness perjure himself or herself?
- If the appeal is successful, the appellate court will generally reverse a conviction or order a new trial/sentence hearing.
An Immediate Appeal Can Keep You Out of Jail
You don't have to be in prison or jail to appeal your case. Through oral or written post-trial motions, your criminal defense lawyer can inform the judge prior to sentencing that your case will be appealed because of errors in the handling the case and, as such, request your immediate release on bail while the appeal is pending. A criminal defense lawyer can also file a written motion after sentencing requesting the same.
Pennsylvania Appeals and Federal Appeals
Whatever the issue, the appeals attorneys at Kope & Associates are prepared to handle your case in state court, Pennsylvania Superior Court, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, federal district courts, and the federal appellate courts. These experienced attorneys will meticulously review the trial transcript, which includes the notes of witness testimony looking for errors which prevented a fair trial. The experienced attorneys at Kope & Associates have been very successful in achieving relief for their clients, by reversing mandatory minimum sentences to probationary sentences, obtaining orders for a new trial, and securing/winning appeals. They often help a client continue his or her life outside of jail while they wait for their appeal to reach the Pennsylvania Superior or Supreme Court.
Contact
If there are issues surrounding your criminal conviction or sentencing, or if the attorney who represented you in your first trial failed to provide a proper defense, contact Kope and Associates as soon as possible for a free consultation. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.