Overturning A Guilty Verdict In A Federal Criminal Appeal Lawyers

In any criminal offense, the final verdict of the judge always counts. That is because it is believed that there is no other reason to reverse the ruling once the criminal pleads guilty. However, in some instances, pleading guilty may be because of some errors or misunderstanding. That may make the judge conclude fast that the defendant is on the wrong side.

In your case, you should not worry if you or your relative involved in a case finally commits to having committed the offense. That is because the conviction can be reversed. You can always change the conviction through various proven ways. This article illustrates how that can be done. Keep reading and understand better.

How to overturn a guilty Verdict In a federal Criminal appeal

Below are some of the ways you can consider when you feel that you need to reverse the conviction;

1. Through a lawyer

You may decide to continue with the lawyer defending you in the previous case or choose a new one. The essential thing is that you should get in touch with a lawyer to help you through an appealing process. The chances are that if you do it alone, you may fail and fall into depression. By the way, getting legal representation by a knowledgeable attorney is the perfect way to overturn the verdict. That is because he/she will be aware of the next steps to take.

Here is an instance

In the previous case, you might have left the whole case in the hands of your lawyer. Also, you may have failed to consult him on the best ways to defend. That can be one of the reasons for losing your previous case. Therefore, it is advisable that when appealing, you consult thoroughly with your lawyer so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes.

Therefore, immediately you are convicted, and you think it’s not right, you can quickly get in touch with the lawyer to help you with advice and plan about what you should do next.

2. Appeal

Majority of those who feel that they have been wrongly convicted always think of an appeal as the first step they should take. Even though the appeal judges rarely change the other judges’ decisions who were presiding over the case. They can always consider looking into the issue.

Through your lawyer, you will know how to approach the courts and present your issues. During the appeal period, the judges may want to know if there were any forces behind your admission.

An appeal is a perfect option for many defendants. However, it always has limited options. Some may not be right out of the limited choices, and they may be mostly in favor of the latter decision by the lower court. Also, if you don’t get an attorney who advises you right, you may end up wasting time without a better result.

It works when the court realizes that the time of conviction, in a way, you were forced by some external factors to do so. The judges may decide to reconsider your case, and that can bring a sigh of relief to you, provided you follow the right procedures during the appeal. It’s never a matter of life and death, and therefore you should know that you always have a second option to turn things around.

3. Consider writs

As you continue to think about the other best options, you may find yourself left with limited workable ones. At that point, you still don’t need to worry because you can opt for a writ.

The writ is an order from the highest court to a lower court where the verdict was delivered. It’s used to direct the lower court to reconsider some circumstances that were not given a deeper consideration during the case’s previous hearing.

For instance, the judge may be requested to reconsider a strong point that the defender’s lawyer would have used but didn’t use during the case. Writs are helpful, especially when you still believe that the lower court can help you get your rights.

Besides, before asking for a writ, you should consult with your attorney if he/she thinks it will be a fruitful move. You may be right on your side, but your attorney may advise you not to opt for it after reconsidering certain facts. That is because they are knowledgeable about conviction reversals. They know the best processes that when you follow, you will not waste your resources and time.
Can a Verdict Be Overturned?
After a jury decides that you are “not guilty,” the prosecution will not be entitled to appeal your acquittal. Because the Fifth Amendment of The Constitution protects you against being tried for the same crime twice, your case will be over forever after you hear the words “not guilty.” This is known as the “Double Jeopardy rule.”

The answer to this question will be different if the jury decides that you are “guilty.” If this occurs, your case does not have to be over if you believe that the jury or the judge made errors during your trial. You have the option of filing a motion asking the judge to overturn the jury’s verdict. In this case, the judge would enter a verdict of “not guilty.” You may also ask the judge to set the jury’s verdict aside so that you can receive a new trial. The last option would be to appeal the conviction.

The U.S. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States of America. The U.S. Courts of Appeals sit below the Supreme Court. The judiciary system has 13 Courts of Appeals. There are also 94 federal judicial districts, and they are divided into 12 regional circuits. There is a court of appeals in each circuit, and each one has three judges, but they do not have a jury.

If the jury found you guilty in your federal trial, you are entitled to appeal the verdict to the U.S. Court of Appeals. When you present your case to the U.S. Court of Appeals, your attorney will not try your case again, so it will not be the time to introduce new evidence, and new witnesses will not be able to testify. A jury will not decide the case, but the judges will review the decisions that the jury made and the procedures that the judge followed to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly and the proceedings were fair.

Do You Have the Right to Appeal?
You have the right to appeal your guilty verdict if you are concerned about the way the law was applied during your case. You may disagree with the particular law that was applied or anything that occurred during the trial.

Do You Have Grounds to Make an Appeal?
The most common ground for appeal is the belief that the trial was unfair to the defendant. It may also be because the losing side believes that the judge applied the wrong law in the case. You may also believe that the judge applied the law incorrectly. Some people have charged that the law that the judge applied violated

The U.S. Constitution.
Making an Appellate Argument
The side asking for the appeal is known as the “petitioner,” and the side that responds to the request is known as the “respondent.” Both sides have the opportunity to prepare a brief or a written argument that supports each side’s case. The entire case may be decided on these briefs. If not, the petitioner and the respondent will prepare to argue before the court.

The Oral Argument
The process begins when the appellate lawyers take their places before the panel of judges. They will limit their discussion to the legal principles that the petitioner outlined in his or her brief and are currently in dispute. Both the petitioner and the respondent have 15 minutes to present their cases to the judges. Several weeks or months could pass before both sides hear that the panel of judges reversed the conviction or upheld the conviction. Either way, the appellate court will offer a written decision.

In the event that the appellate court upholds the trial court’s decision, you can appeal this decision as well, but the higher court will make the decision as to whether or not it will hear your case.

Errors Committed during the Trial
You must be aware of the fact that the judge or the jury may make errors, but not every one of these errors can lead to overturning your verdict. Your trial is required to be fair, but it does not have to be devoid of errors. A conviction is likely to be reversed if the legal error that was committed contributed to the jury deciding that you are guilty. Errors that deprive you of your constitutional rights are usually the type of errors that warrant a reversal.
Contact a criminal defense law firm if you believe that you have a case for overturning your verdict