San Francisco Criminal Appeals Attorney

Appealing a Child Pornography Verdict

A criminal appeal is a formal request to rehear a case that has already been decided - a request that a new court reconsider the decision of the first court. When one or both sides of a case that has already been decided, believes the decision of a lower court was unfair or unjust due to a mistake made at trial, then either can file an appeal. A conviction for a crime related to child pornography has very serious consequences, whether it was tried in a state or federal court. If you were convicted at your first trial, but feel that justice was not done or mistakes by jurors, attorneys or even the judge involved may have seriously prejudiced the outcome of your case, a criminal appeal is your best option. California law gives criminal defendants only 60 days from the date of sentencing to file a notice of appeal, so you must act fast. With such a short time to review your child pornography , or related sex crimes case, and to prepare your appeal, it is vital to consult a San Francisco child pornography attorney at your earliest opportunity.

Criminal Appeals Lawyer in San Francisco

An appeal is entirely different than a jury trial. No testimony is taken, and the court of appeals decides the case only on the written brief filed by your attorney and that of the Attorney General who represents the prosecution. Our firm has the expertise, know-how and experience to review the circumstances of your case before and after trial to determine what legal grounds there may be for winning your appeal. Some ground for filing a successful appeal include:

• Legal errors, such as an improper ruling by the trial judge to include or exclude key evidence,
• Trial judge may have given improper instructions to the jury,
• Juror misconduct,
• Prosecutor misconduct,
• Failure to follow standard procedure regarding evidence, and
• Sentence not in accordance with state or federal guidelines.

Once it is determined on what grounds to appeal the lower court decision, an appellate brief is prepared and presented to the appeals court.

It is vital that you contact a San Francisco appeals attorney with the experience and understanding of the law to maximize the chances your appeal will be a success.