Should my criminal lawyer also handle appeals?

Absolutely. If you’re charged with a crime, your freedom, your family, your employment, everything’s on the line. You don’t only want a lawyer that argues in trial courts, but I respectfully suggest you need a lawyer who argues appeals as well, because a lawyer that argues appeals is a better trial lawyer, because we know what the issues are in case you’re convicted. I’ve argued before the United States Supreme Court, the Florida Supreme Court, Federal and State courts of Appeal throughout Florida and throughout the United States. I know what appeals are all about, and that’s essential, because you see, during trials the issues that can be appealed if there’s a conviction, are not factual issues in those instances, they’re legal issues. So if they’re framed properly in the trial court that could result in a reversal on appeal. And that’s very, very important. So when you hire your criminal defense attorney ask if he or she also does appeals and find out what appeals they’ve actually done.

By Jeffrey S. Weiner, P.A.