There are those who believe that every single person who is convicted in court will then turn around and appeal that decision. They think of it as just part of the process, as if cases are always appealed, regardless of all other facts. If the person doesn’t win and does get convicted, then the appeal happens.
However, this is actually just a popular misconception. There are not always the right legal grounds to appeal the ruling. That appeal has to happen when there is a legal basis. It isn’t based on whether or not the person agreed with the conviction or liked the verdict. It’s based on the legal facts of the case and whether or not an error may have been made.
You’re also not getting a new trial
Another common misconception is that every person who asks for an appeal then gets to have another trial to see if it comes to the same conclusion. This may be why they think that everyone appeals their convictions. Why not go to another court and see if you can get a more favorable ruling?
But this is not how it works either. Generally, new evidence isn’t even used. The appeal is based on correcting the perceived error, such as an inaccurate application of the law. It’s not a brand new court case. It’s not a second chance to be tried for the same crime and hope that you get a more favorable result. It’s a way of ensuring that your conviction, if made in error, can be corrected after the fact.
As such, if you believe an error was made in your case, then it is very important to know what steps to take to appeal that conviction.