Criminal Appeals Lawyer in Lancaster, PA Fighting for You

Contact Mosser Legal for a Criminal Appeals Attorney in Lancaster, PA

If you’ve been unfairly convicted of a crime, or the sentence imposed upon you is too harsh, give us a call. We have helped hundreds of clients throughout Pennsylvania appeal their criminal convictions and sentences.

Put our experience to work for you. Contact your trusted Lancaster, PA criminal appeals lawyer today at 267-207-2805

How Does the Criminal Appeals Process Work in Lancaster?

The court administration imposes strict deadlines in order to keep criminal appeals moving in Lancaster, PA. First we file your Notice of Appeal, then the trial court will likely order us to file a document called the Statement of Errors Complained of on Appeal under the Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 1925. The trial judge will then issue a Rule 1925 Opinion.

The Superior Court then orders us to file a legal brief setting forth the legal reasons why we think the conviction or the sentence imposed was in error. This usually happens within 40 days, and we must include a record of the trial.

After we file our brief, the prosecution has 30 days to file its brief which will set forth the reasons why the lower court was correct. We will then have the right to file a reply brief to the prosecution’s brief, if necessary.

Your case will then be submitted to a three-judge panel of the Superior Court, and at this point, a decision can be a few days or many months away. If oral argument is scheduled, the decision should be handed down shortly thereafter.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

If you have been convicted of driving under the influence of drugs of alcohol, you already know that you are subject to expensive fines, license suspension, and perhaps even jail time.

We can help. If you have been convicted of DUI in Lancaster, PA, contact Mosser legal today so we can review your case and determine whether an appeal has merit.

Theft

Unfortunately, a theft conviction is the type of serious crime that follows you throughout life, even if you committed the theft as a young impressionable adult and have since changed your ways.

Our Lancaster, PA criminal appeals lawyers have won theft appeals of convictions for:

Shoplifting
Fraud
Burglary
Grand Larceny

Additional Types of Criminal Convictions Our Lancaster Appeals Lawyers Have Handled

DUI and theft are the most common criminal appeals that our Lancaster, PA attorneys handle, probably because as a social matter they occur most frequently. However, we have experience appealing all types of criminal convictions, including:

Manslaughter
Murder
Drug possession
Aggravated assault
Illegal possession of a firearm
Carrying a weapon without a license

Have you been wrongfully convicted in Lancaster, PA? Contact Mosser Legal as soon as possible so we can help you exercise your right to appellate review. Sometimes the court gets it wrong!

How Long Does the Criminal Appeals Process Take in Lancaster?

While every criminal appeal in Lancaster is different, we can give you a rough estimate of how long a criminal appeal takes. Overall, you can expect your Lancaster criminal appeal to take between 12 and 16 months to reach a decision.

What Happens During the First 4-6 Months of Your Criminal Appeal

Necessary records will be prepared by yourself and your attorney. This will include documents regarding conviction, sentencing, any time served, a transcript of the trial, any and all evidence including police reports and witness testimony.

What Happens During the Following 3-5 Months of Your Criminal Appeal

The briefing schedule will dictate that our appeals attorneys will prepare and file a brief outlining the legal reasons your conviction should be overturned, you should have a new trial, or your sentence is too harsh.

What Happens During Months 6-12 of Your Criminal Appeal

The Commonwealth appeals attorney will write a reply brief to our brief, and we will have the opportunity to reply to that brief if necessary. The Court may schedule oral argument, or not. Some matters are decided “on the papers,” meaning, decided based on the persuasiveness of the arguments in the briefs. This is why you need an experienced Lancaster criminal appeals attorney on your side.

Your Rights in a Criminal Appeal Case in Lancaster, PA

There are many grounds for appeal in Lancaster. We will scour the record to determine whether there were procedural or legal errors, or an infringement on your Constitutional rights. Common reasons to appeal a conviction include:

Ineffective assistance of counsel
Improperly admitted evidence
Prosecutorial misconduct
Juror misconduct
Incorrect jury instructions
Lack of sufficient evidence to support a guilty verdict

Other Types Of Appeals We Handle

Areas We Serve

Contact Our Lancaster Criminal Appeals Lawyers

If you feel you’ve been unfairly convicted or sentenced in Lancaster, PA, call us to discuss your criminal appeal. Put our proven experience in handling criminal appeals to work for you.