How is a criminal appeal different than a criminal trial?
A criminal appeal takes place in most circumstances following conviction. An appeal is not heard by the same judge who presided over the trial and no jury is present, instead, it is typically heard by a panel of three judges of the court of appeals. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Court of Appeals hears most, but not all criminal appeals of state convictions. At the Minnesota Court of Appeals, a three judge panel is assigned to hear your case and to make a decision regarding the appellate issues you raise. The issues are initially identified and argued by briefing to the panel. After briefing is complete, the matter is typically set on for oral argument which is an opportunity for your appellate counsel to argue to the court why the redress you seek should be granted. In addition, some appeals are taken directly to the Minnesota Supreme Court as of right, but not many. Those few cases that go directly to the Minnesota Supreme Court are identified by rule. The Minnesota Supreme Court also h
