Criminal Appeals in Birmingham

Fight a Wrongful Conviction Today

The greatest mistake a defendant can make is accepting a court ruling. After all, a criminal conviction may lead to expensive fines, imprisonment, and a harmful criminal record. In Alabama, you have the option of appealing to a higher court if you’re convicted of a criminal offense. In most cases, a defendant has only one chance to have their case reversed by the Court of Criminal Appeals, so it’s important to retain the services of an experienced lawyer who can effectively represent your case.

Appealing a criminal conviction in Alabama can be a time-consuming and complicated process. You need to hire an attorney with skilled legal acumen and an understanding of the appeals process if you want to successfully overturn a wrongful conviction. Contact the Birmingham criminal appeals lawyer at Ingram Law, LLC if you desire fierce representation and dedicated legal guidance.

Call Ingram Law, LLC at (205) 335-2640 to learn more about the appeals process.

Grounds for a Criminal Appeal

To file a criminal appeal in Alabama, you must show the appellate court that an error occurred during the original trial. This error must be significant in nature, rather than an error that did not affect the outcome of the trial.

The following are the common grounds for a criminal appeal in Alabama:

• Plain error: A plain error is defined as a defect or mistake that impacts the defendant’s constitutional rights, despite the fact that the error was not addressed by the judge during the trial or brought to attention in the form of a timely objection. For instance, when a judge miscalculates a sentence after you are convicted, then you have the right to appeal.
• Insufficient weight of evidence: Many criminal trials carry intense emotions and even prejudice based on preconceived notions. If a jury convicts a defendant even though there is no compelling evidence to properly reach a guilty verdict, then an appeal can be filed based on the ground of insufficient evidence.
• Improper admission or exclusion of evidence: Before the jury can review the evidence at trial, a special hearing among lawyers is held, where the judge determines which evidence the attorneys can – or cannot – present to the jury. Not only does the prosecution want to show the jury the most biased and incriminating evidence to demonstrate the defendant’s guilt, but it also wants to prevent the defense from presenting evidence to support the defendant. Although judges make the ultimate decision, they may still make the wrong one.
• Ineffective counsel: If the defendant’s lawyer commits a legal error during the trial, the defendant may have grounds to file an appeal as long as they prove their attorney was incompetent. In order words, your lawyer’s actions were so erroneous or improper that you were deprived of your right to a fair trial (Sixth Amendment).

There are many other grounds to file a criminal appeal. At Ingram Law, LLC, our Birmingham criminal appeals attorney can thoroughly review your case, determine if you are eligible for an appeal, and protect your rights and freedom from start to finish.

The Appeals Process

By filing an appeal, you’re requesting an appellate court to review—and hopefully overturn—the judgments of a lower court. An attorney can help you challenge your sentence by compiling essential legal documents and guiding you through the procedures listed in the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.

The appeals process rarely allows for prolonged oral arguments, so your defense strategy depends greatly on your lawyer accurately presenting case-related documents like court transcripts and pleadings. Your defense strategy needs to effectively prove that there is an error in the way your case was initially handled that ultimately compromised your sentence or conviction. Luckily, you can appeal your conviction without fearing a greater sentence.

Schedule a Consultation

Contact Ingram Law, LLC if you’re ready to fight your wrongful conviction and clear your criminal record. Our criminal appeals lawyer in Birmingham has successfully represented clients before the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contact our firm at (205) 335-2640 to schedule a free consultation.