Appeals & Post-Trial Issue Lawyers

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Hire an Appeals Attorney with the Experience You Win to get Your Case Overturned

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Our appeals attorneys are qualified to cover a diverse area of federal and state appeals in both Illinois and Iowa. We can handle complex private, commercial, and business appeals and are able to leverage our nearly five decades of trial experience to help achieve the best possible outcome in your appellate litigation.

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Our team has extensive qualifications in civil, criminal, and post-conviction appeals. Throughout our years of representing and winning Illinois and Iowa appellate cases, we have earned a reputation as a well-prepared appellate law firm. Our clients have provided positive feedback to us for decades. We investigate all interests and all issues are presented, defended, and argued for overturning lower court decision or for obtaining post-conviction relief.

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We encourage you to request a free consultation if you or a loved one would like to appeal a lower court decision. Just because you plead guilty or no contest does not mean you can’t file a federal appeal. Appeals may be allowed for many situations, including orders for suppressing evidence, dismissing charges before trial, motions to dismiss, finding of incompetency or insanity, and more. Even after your trial wraps, the state and prosecutor can appeal federal orders granting a new trial or a judgment of acquittal after a guilty verdict. Connect with our appellate attorneys at Paulson and Vandersnick is passionate about appellate litigation. We represent clients in multiple states and argue precedent-setting cases when our clients need and expect results. Your appellate case will be well planned and executed quickly in order to increase your chances of winning the case.

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Let us help you plan for the best possible outcome.

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THE BASICS ABOUT APPEALING YOUR CASE

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• The notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the judgment or order you wish to appeal and serves as formal notice to the court that you are appealing the lower court’s decision.

• The settled statement is a written summary of the proceedings and evidence in the trial court.

• Your statement must contain your grounds for appeal.

• The state and is designed to assist the appellate judges in reviewing your case.

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPEALS

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Criminal Appeals - Anyone who has been convicted of a crime may appeal his or her case. The appeal asks a higher court to review specific aspects of the case for legal error in either the conviction or the sentence.

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Civil Appeals - Your civil appeals attorney may only get one shot at promoting or defending your position in person. It’s important to work with an attorney who is skilled at research, can effectively interpret the law to your benefit, and can present strong written and oral arguments.

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Civil Rights Appeals - Our appeals attorneys have extensive experience litigating wrongful civil rights-related convictions. You can’t back time wrongfully served behind bars, but a dedicated civil rights lawyer can help you pursue justice.

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Personal Injury Appeals - Most personal injury cases are resolved in a settlement outside of court. Some, however, go to trial and result in a large verdict. Those cases are almost always appealed by the losing side. Our lawyers have the experience you need to handle the appeals process of personal injury case verdicts.

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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Appeals

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ASK FOR AN APPEAL?

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After a decision is reached in a civil or criminal case, the party who was ruled against has the right to have the matter reviewed in a higher court. That higher appeals court can overturn a lower court. An appeal is when a losing party tries to a decision overruled.

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CAN ANY LOWER COURT DECISION BE APPEALS?

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No. Usually, only the final decision of a trial court can be appealed. If the ruling in your case does not close the case, you must wait until the case is finished before filing for appeal.

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WHAT DOES "APPELLATE LAW" MEAN?

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Appellate law is a different form of litigation and legal process. No discovery and no new evidence can be introduced into the appellate record – only valid evidence previously presented to the trial court is valid. The appeal is usually heard by several judges and is based almost entirely on the written briefs. Appellate law demands familiarity with the appellate court procedural rules, legal trends, and persuasive writing.

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SO WHAT'S MY FIRST STEP IN SEEKING AN APPEAL?

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The first step is the filing a notice. This document is filed with the trial court within 30 days of your case’s decision being finalized. The notice of appeal informs the lower trial court that you plan on pursuing an appeal.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE APPELLATE COURT TO RULE?

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It can take up to a year between the time an appeal is filed and a decision is issued.

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Free Consultation for Appeal Cases in Illinois and Iowa

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If you have been charged with a serious crime, you simply cannot afford to put your future in the hands of an inexperienced defense lawyer. Contact our Illinois and Iowa appeal attorneys to schedule your free consultation regarding your case.

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