Why would you appeal a felony conviction?

If you’ve been found guilty of a felony, you might wonder how your trial could’ve gone differently. Paying fines, providing compensation to a victim or their family, serving prison time and parole may all factor into your sentencing.

But in some cases, your punishment may not be proportionate to the crime. Or, you might believe there was a mistake made during your trial. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it might be in your best interest to appeal the court’s decision.

Reasons why you could appeal your case

You have a Constitutional right to a fair trial. However, if you feel like you did not receive a fair trial, you might want to explore your options.

You may choose to file an appeal for your trial for the following reasons: 

• Representation – If you feel you had poor legal representation, you may want to have your case re-examined for the possible chance of a reduced sentence.
• Error – In the event that there was an error made during your trial which you believe affected your conviction, you may choose to appeal. This could be the case if a judge miscalculated your sentence and your punishment doesn’t correlate to your crime.
• Evidence – If the court didn’t allow supportive evidence in your trial and you believe it could’ve led to a different result for you, you might want to appeal. The same goes for evidence which shouldn’t have been included.
• Ruling – Sentencing guidelines exist to govern the court’s decision-making process. If you feel a judge abused their discretion in your sentence, you may have grounds to appeal your conviction.

If you believe your conviction or sentencing is not in accordance with your rights, you may be able to try to get a more favorable result.