If you are convicted of a federal crime like drug trafficking or a white-collar crime like fraud, you may have the right to appeal the verdict. To boost your odds of a successful appeal, however, it helps to understand how the process works.
For some reason, however, federal appeals tend to take much longer to settle. Depending on the court’s schedule, it can generally take anywhere from a few months to two years for the appeal court to make a decision.
You must meet the deadlines
It’s important to understand that the clock begins to tick the moment the trial judge delivers the verdict. In other words, you only have a limited time to appeal your conviction. And when it comes to federal convictions, appeals are governed by the Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure.
Per this statute, you must file your notice of appeal within 14 days of the entry of the judgment. Once you have filed the notice of appeal, you must file the actual appeal within 30 days. While submitting your appeal documents, you will need to provide specific grounds for your appeal. These may include the discovery of fresh evidence, poor representation, prosecutorial misconduct or jury irregularities.
Subject to the circumstances of your case, the following can be the outcomes of your appeal:
- The decision of the trial court may be upheld
- A new trial may be ordered
- The case may be remanded to the trial court
If you are convicted of a crime, the road ahead may seem incredibly grim, especially if you are sent to jail for a long time. However, you should never give up. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may appeal the conviction and get a favorable outcome for your case.