A guilty verdict can feel like the end of the road, but depending on what happened in your case, there may still be another path forward. If serious legal mistakes were made during your case, you can explore the option to appeal your case, which gives you (the defendant) the opportunity to ask a higher court to review what happened in your case. 

To make an appeal, you need a legitimate legal basis for challenging the lower court’s decision. So it all comes down to one question: What are good reasons to appeal?

What to Do: What are strong grounds for an appeal?

Every case is different, but here are a few potential appellate issues:

Legal Errors by the Court

Judges constantly make important legal decisions throughout a criminal case, and sometimes they get it wrong. If the trial court incorrectly applied the law and the mistake affects your rights or the overall outcome of the case, you may have the basis for an appeal. 

Improperly Admitted or Excluded Evidence

Evidence can make or break a criminal case. Utah’s Rules of Evidence provide procedures for preserving claims involving improperly admitted or excluded evidence. Not every evidentiary mistake will justify overturning a result, but a significant error can turn the tide in your appellate case.

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Your attorney is supposed to give you competent legal help. If your lawyer made serious mistakes that hurt your case, you may have a reason to appeal. 

Other Significant Procedural or Constitutional Errors 

Depending on the facts, violations involving a defendant’s constitutional rights or important procedural protections may also create grounds for appellate review.

The keyword here is significant. Appeals generally aren’t about finding one tiny mistake and yelling, “Aha!” The error must matter to the case!

What Not to Do: Assume an Appeal Is an Automatic Do-Over

An appellate court reviews the record and legal issues from the original case. That makes appellate work distinct.

Don’t wait around while deciding whether to speak with appeal lawyers. Under Utah’s current appellate rules, a notice of appeal must typically be filed within 30 days after the entry of judgment.

Missing an appellate deadline limits your options. So don’t put “find an appeal lawyer” on the same to-do list as cleaning the garage, organizing the junk drawer, and canceling that free trial you keep forgetting about. 

What Are Good Reasons to Hire an Appeal Attorney?

Appealing a case isn’t exactly a weekend DIY project. There are specialized rules, strict deadlines, legal research, lengthy written briefs, and a whole lot of fine print. 

An experienced appeal attorney can dig through the details of your case, identify legal mistakes that may have affected the outcome, and determine which issues are actually worth pursuing. The right attorney can focus on the strongest arguments, navigate the appellate process, and make sure important deadlines and requirements don’t fall through the cracks. 

What Is the Success Rate of an Appeal? 

There isn’t one meaningful percentage that can predict the outcome of an individual case. Success depends on the facts, the record, the legal issues, whether errors were properly preserved, and the applicable standard of review. A strong appeal is about identifying legitimate, consequential legal errors, not betting on a statistic.

Think You Have Grounds for an Appeal? Act Now!

A conviction or unfavorable ruling can be devastating, but it doesn’t always have to be the last word. If you believe something went legally wrong in your case, don’t guess! The appeal lawyers at Intermountain Legal can review your case, explain your options, and determine whether there are strong grounds for an appeal. 

Contact Intermountain Legal to discuss your case today…