Criminal Appeals Attorney in Nashville
Our criminal defense warriors are here to help when you need to appeal in Nashville
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If you believe that you are a victim of injustice at a criminal trial, you need to speak to an attorney about whether you have a chance of appealing the ruling. Sometimes, an appeal might offer a chance to correct errors that caused damage to your original case and led to an unfair outcome. The experienced criminal appeals attorneys at Waynick Law know that the government doesn’t always get it right. We’re here to listen to you and to identify trial issues and other errors that might have led to your conviction in Nashville.
How can we help?
- What is an appeal?
- Common grounds for an appeal
- Can I appeal my case in Nashville?
- The appeals process in Tennessee
- Can your criminal appeals attorneys represent me in state and federal court?
- Will I need to serve a sentence while appealing my case?
- Do you have a Nashville criminal appeals attorney near me?
What is an appeal?
An appeal is a legal challenge to a trial court’s decision. The appeal is different from a trial because it doesn’t involve a jury or new witnesses. Trial courts are the fact-finders, and the appellate court must look at the law as the trial court applied it to the facts. At the appellate level, a panel of judges reviews the trial court’s decisions for legal errors. In their review, they might find that the trial court made a mistake and order a new trial, change the sentence, or dismiss the charges. If the appellate court judges find that the trial court handled everything properly, they will uphold the original ruling.
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Common grounds for an appeal
There are several grounds for appeal. It’s important to discuss your case with an attorney who can review everything to find potential errors that might give you a way to fight back. Here are some of the possible reasons you could appeal a trial court’s ruling:
Confusing or improper jury instructions
If the jury receives instructions that are incorrect, incomplete, or misleading, this can impact their decision. For instance, imagine the instructions left out an element of a crime, such as intent to cause harm. The jury came back with a guilty verdict even though there wasn’t much evidence of intent. In this case, it might be possible to show that the jury’s decision is at least in part the result of the incomplete instructions.
Ineffective assistance of counsel
If your lawyer didn’t provide a competent defense, you might have grounds to appeal. One example of this might be if there was a key witness who could provide an alibi, but the attorney forgot to call them to provide evidence in the case.
Improper admission of evidence
If a judge admits evidence that should have been excluded, there may be grounds to appeal the verdict. For example, if the police carried out an illegal search and seizure, but the judge allowed that evidence in, you might have a reason to appeal.
Insufficient evidence
Juries are only meant to convict when there is enough evidence to meet the standards of the very high burden of proof in criminal cases. Unfortunately, jurors sometimes have biases or other factors that may cloud their judgment, leading to a guilty verdict when the evidence is not enough to support that finding.
Incorrect application of the law
Although uncommon, a court may misinterpret or misapply the law. In such cases, this would be grounds for an appeal. However, the appeal will only be likely to succeed if the error may have changed the outcome of the trial.
Jury misconduct
Improper actions by the jury can lead to wrongful outcomes. For instance, if a juror researched the case before making their decision and introduced information to other jurors that was from a news source that wasn’t evidence in the trial, this could impact the jurors’ decisions.
Prosecutorial misconduct
Prosecutors have to abide by rules during the trial as well. If the court rules some evidence is inadmissible, they can’t then reference it in front of the jury. Also, if the prosecutor has evidence that works against their case, they can’t withhold that information. These wrongful acts could be grounds for an appeal.
Can I appeal my case in Nashville?
If you were convicted in a Tennessee criminal court, you have the right to appeal. However, whether you have grounds to file a worthwhile appeal will depend on specific facts in your case. If you believe the trial outcome was unfavorable due to legal errors or wrongful conduct, the experienced attorneys at Waynick Law will listen to you carefully and look for reasons to file the appeal.
The appeals process in Tennessee
In Tennessee, there is a formal process for appeals. Here are some of the steps that you would need to take to fight back after a conviction.
- Notice of Appeal: The Notice of Appeal is a document that triggers the trial court to send the case record to the appellate court.
- Review of records and briefs: Once both parties submit all documents, the appellate court reviews the trial record and legal briefs.
- Oral arguments: Sometimes, the court may schedule oral arguments, giving the attorneys a chance to present their positions before the judges make a decision.
Post-review, the appellate court may:
- Affirm the decision: This outcome means upholding the court’s original conviction.
- Reverse the decision: Here, the court overturns the verdict.
- Remand the decision: In which case the court sends the case back to the trial court for additional proceedings.
- Grant other relief: This result includes ordering a new trial or reducing the sentence that the trial court ordered.
Even the appellate court is not the true end of the road. If the outcome is unfavorable, you may have a chance to fight back by bringing the case to the Tennessee Supreme Court or, in some cases, to the United States Supreme Court.
Can your criminal appeals attorneys represent me in state and federal court?
Yes. At Waynick Law, our attorneys are, first and foremost, legal warriors. We don’t back down when our clients are facing injustice. Our attorneys handle appeals in both state and federal courts, including cases involving severe offenses. If you want to take your fight to the appellate court or beyond, reach out to us so that we can review your situation and see if there are grounds to challenge the court’s original ruling.
Will I need to serve a sentence while appealing my case?
There are situations where serving the sentence during the appeal process is mandatory. However, depending on the nature of the offense, you might be able to stay the sentence while the appeal is pending. It is important to contact a Nashville appeals lawyer right away.
Do you have a Nashville criminal appeals attorney near me?
Waynick Law PLLC serves clients from our offices in Nashville at 95 White Bridge Road, 5th Floor – Suite 512B, Nashville, TN 37205 and Dickson at 504 E. College Street, Dickson, TN 37055.
Contact the criminal appeals lawyers at Waynick Law
If you believe you have a reason to appeal your criminal conviction in Tennessee, contact Waynick Law. Our attorneys will provide a thorough, aggressive defense to protect your rights through every stage of the judicial process, including at the appellate level. Call us today or fill out our form to speak with an experienced criminal appellate lawyer today.