If you are facing a criminal conviction and want to appeal, then you should contact a criminal appeals barrister. These barristers are specialists in appealing criminal cases, and can help people who were convicted in the crown court or the magistrates court.
A criminal appeals barrister can provide a second opinion on any criminal case, and offer advice about how to proceed. In some cases, they may find legal errors, highlight ways that procedures were not followed, or bring up evidence which was missed or that was not available during the original trial. All of these are things that could alter the outcome of the case. Now, sometimes the conviction was correct, and a criminal appeals specialist will not be able to get the conviction turned around, but if you are convinced that the ruling was wrong, it makes sense to appeal.
How Appeals Work
Before a barrister will take on your case, they will want to meet with you to determine whether you do indeed have grounds to appeal. They will talk to you about the evidence that was presented, and they will give you advice on anything that may have changed between the initial trial and today, so that you can figure out if there is something that could be used to get the conviction reconsidered.
There is a lot of evidence to consider – many criminal convictions get overturned because of new DNA evidence or other forensics, for example. Sometimes, however, it is as simple as showing that the correct procedures were not followed in the run-up to the case.
Were You Unhappy With Your Representation?
If you feel that you were given incorrect advice, or that you were not represented properly by your previous barrister, then it is worth getting an independent party to review your case.
It can take a long time to get a case looked at, so it is worth appealing as soon as you can, and starting the process. The appeals barrister will need to follow some exhaustive procedures and draft the required appeal documents, then arrange a date to present them. You may have to answer a lot of questions, so be prepared for that. Answer truthfully, and accept that while it feels like you are going back over the same ground again and again there is a good reason for this. The person representing you during your appeal needs to know exactly what happened so they can put a good case forward.
According to the Ministry of Justice, around 40% of appeals are successful when they reach the crown court. That is a staggering success rate, and it shows that it is worth fighting if you disagree with the court’s decision. You have the right to appeal, so use it, and fight to prove your innocence. So many people accept convictions, especially for minor offences, when a little persistence would go a long way towards helping them to clear their names.
