What is a Criminal Appeal?
Among the constitutional rights we all enjoy is the right to an appeal. An appeal is a review by a higher court to make sure that the judge handling your case did his or her job properly. If the Appellate Court believes that a mistake was made, the Appellate Court has the authority to correct the mistake by ordering a new trial or dismissal of the charges, or by taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure fair treatment in the trial court. If your case is being heard in the County Court, the appeal will be to a Circuit Judge or panel of Circuit Judges in your community. If your case was originally heard in the Circuit Court, an appeal will be to a panel of three judges at the District Court of Appeals. If you cannot afford to pay for the cost of the appeal, and you otherwise qualify under Florida law, the judge can order the government to pay the costs associated with the preparation of the appeal, including the appellate filing fee. If you wish to have an attorney represent you on t
