Your case is not necessarily over after you have been convicted by a jury. Trials are complex and specific rules must be followed by both judges and prosecutors. If a mistake was made during your trial, you may be able to file an appeal. Filing your appeal is a time-sensitive matter and you must contact an an Arkansas appellate attorney immediately if you wish to file a state or federal appeal in our state. Call the Law Office of Patrick Benca today to schedule a consultation with one of our criminal lawyers.
Criminal defense attorneys in Little Rock, Arkansas determining if your state court conviction may be appealed
Appeals are very different from jury trials. An appeal can be filed when a mistake was made at your trial and the mistake may have resulted in your being convicted. The process begins by filing a “Notice of Appeal.” Ninety days after the Notice is filed the appealing attorney must file certain documents from trial with the Court. The Appellant’s opening brief, in which arguments are made to the Appellate Court, is filed roughly 30 days later. Most Arkansas state appeals are heard by the Court of Appeals while more serious matters, typically involving the death penalty or life sentences, go straight to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Appeals are complex and many attorneys do not handle them. Hiring an experienced appellate attorney is crucial to your case.
The Arkansas criminal appellate attorneys at the Law Office of Patrick Benca regularly handle matters in both the Court of Appeals and the State Supreme Court. Issues often appealed in criminal matters include:
- Whether the District Court should have suppressed evidence due to an unlawful search and seizure
- If the Trial Judge improperly allowed testimony over the objection of your attorney
- If you were denied a jury instruction requested by your attorney
- If a jury instruction was allowed that your attorney objected to
- If a mistake was made in allowing or disallowing an expert witness to testify
- If a jury did not understand their instructions for the Court
- If the Trial Judge made a mistake during sentencing or misinterpreted the law
Having handled numerous appeals we understand how to review the record for these types of issues and how to present them to the Court. Do not risk your appeal to lesser experienced counsel. Contact our office online or by telephone today.
We also handle matters in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Springdale, Jonesboro, North Little Rock, Conway, Rogers, Pine Bluff and throughout the rest of the state.
Filing time sensitive appeals for residents throughout the state of Arkansas
If you have been convicted of a crime and believe you did not receive a fair trial, do not wait to contact an attorney. Your appeal must be filed within a certain amount of time or you will lose the right to do so. We will be able to handle your appeal whether or not we served as your trial counsel. Contact our Little Rock, Arkansas office today and learn how we may be able to help.