It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that a criminal charge can change a person’s life. The potential consequences are severe; the mental toll is immense; and the impact can be felt by a person convicted of a crime for many years to come even after their sentence has been served and they pay back their “debt to society”.
Given all of these factors, it is understandable for someone who has been convicted of a crime to feel hopeless, but a conviction doesn’t have to be the end — in many ways, it is just the beginning of the legal process.
Whether you have pled guilty or been convicted after trial – especially after a trial – you may have issues to appeal. There are post-conviction appeals that you can utilize to show that some error of law occurred, your case was improperly handled, or the punishment against you is excessive. Some must be pursued immediately after conviction and sentence, within 30 days, while other types of post-conviction relief, like a writ of habeas corpus, may only be pursued after all other remedies have been exhausted. However, overturning any conviction is an uphill climb that requires a thorough review of the record, a deep understanding of the law and a will to fight.
Different issues have different standards for review and some may be reviewed even if the issue was not preserved below because it affects such a fundamental right. If you have been convicted of a crime after trial or the representation you received was ineffective, it behooves you to get in touch with an experienced criminal defense attorney who will fight for your rights on appeal even after you have been convicted.