Direct Appeal Lawyers in Toledo

Do You Have Grounds for an Appeal?

If you have been convicted of a federal or state crime, you have the right to challenge the trial court’s decision by filing a direct appeal. However, just because you have the right to, does not mean that you can. You cannot simply file an appeal because you are unhappy with the outcome of your trial. You must have appropriate legal grounds. There must have been some type of legal error made during your trial that affected the verdict.

Our Toledo direct appeal attorneys at Patituce & Associates can help you file an appeal if:

• You had ineffective defense counsel during your trial
• There was insufficient evidence to establish your guilt
• The outcome of your case was impacted by juror misconduct
• There were improper instructions given to the jury members
• You suspect that your case was affected by prosecutorial misconduct

Get skilled legal advice from a team of post-conviction lawyers that always has your best interests in mind. Contact us online or call (419) 597-5849 now for a free consultation.

The Direct Appeal Process

You do not have forever to file a direct appeal. In Ohio, you must notify the court that you wish to appeal the decision within 30 days of the date of the final judgment. To begin the appeal process, you will need to submit several forms to the trial court clerk.

The documents required for a direct appeal include:

• Notice of appeal
• Docketing statement
• Praecipe

Once your documents are filed, a panel of appellate judges will review your case. During their evaluation, they will consider the legal grounds for the appeal and analyze the trial court record. They will also read the brief you submitted, which sets forth your arguments for an appeal, identifies where the error occurred during the trial, and lists out all the laws that are relevant to your case. The court does not consider any new evidence or hear any witness testimonies. In some cases, the judges will decide to hear oral arguments from both you and the opposing side.

Appealing Court Decisions

After the appellate court reviews your case, it will make a decision regarding what should be done with your conviction. There are three main ways the court can respond to your request.

The potential outcomes include:

• Reversal: If the appellate judges agree with your argument that a legal error occurred, they can reverse the judgment of the lower court, and your conviction may be vacated. The appellate court has the authority to enter a new judgment or send the case back to the lower court with instructions to dismiss the original action, change its decision, or retry the case.
• Modification: If the appellate court deems that certain parts of your trial were improper, it can choose to modify the trial court's decision by correcting those specific aspects.
• Affirmance: If the appellate judges do not find a legal error in your original trial, they will affirm the judgment made by the lower court, and the sentence will stand.

Let Us Help You File an Appeal

The direct appeal process is challenging and it does not always work. In order to be successful, you need to present a compelling argument that is based on a thorough knowledge of post-conviction laws and processes. At Patituce & Associates, our Toledo direct appeals lawyers have over 70 years of combined experience helping people get their sentencing reduced or dropped altogether. We would love the opportunity to help you fight for the second chance at justice that you deserve.

To work with a team of criminal defense attorneys that works relentlessly towards favorable outcomes, call (419) 597-5849 today. We refuse to lose.