the appeals process

Basics of the Federal Court System In the United States, the Federal Courts are part of a three-tier system. Federal trials are held in one of the 94 United States District Courts. Each of these courts falls within one of twelve circuits, each with a Circuit Court of Appeals at its head. And above these … Read more

In Pennsylvania Courts, every defendant has the right to file an appeal. This legal process is a challenge to the legality of the trial, and can only begin after a person is convicted of a crime. Once convicted, there are ten days to file motions with the trial court to challenge its proceedings. As soon … Read more

The federal appeals process is often a mystery to the general public. Inside the closed world of the Federal Appellate Courts, away from the eyes of both lawyers and the public, federal judges rule on complex legal matters. These courts keep sparse records, admit no new evidence, and maintain strict rules of decorum.  Their interpretation … Read more

The highest appellate courts in Pennsylvania and in the federal court system have more in common than just their name. The U.S. Supreme Court and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court each possess discretion to choose the cases they will hear on appeal from lower courts. Although thousands of cases petition for permission to be heard, only … Read more

State And Federal Courts In Pennsylvania: How Appeals Work Both the federal court system and the court system in Pennsylvania are set up as multi-tiered systems of appellate courts. The highest court of appellate jurisdiction in each system is called a supreme court. The United States Supreme Court was created by Article III of the … Read more

How To Win A Criminal Or Civil Appeal Generally, you only have 30 days within which to file a notice of appeal with the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas to preserve your right to appeal. The 30 days is calculated from the date on which you were sentenced or, if your attorney filed … Read more

You should not handle a criminal appeal alone. A criminal appeal involves a complex area of the law and requires adherence to procedures that, if not strictly followed, could result in your appeal being dismissed because of a technical violation, even if your appeal had legal merit.  If you want to know how to win … Read more

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Sixth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantee a defendant in a criminal case the right to the effective assistance of counsel. The denial of this right could become the grounds for appealing a conviction. The right to counsel begins once you have been formally charged … Read more