Appealing a Federal Criminal Conviction or Sentence
Federal Appellate Lawyers in Las Vegas
There are three levels of courts that hear federal criminal cases in Nevada:
- U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
If your criminal case was heard in U.S. District Court and you were convicted of a felony, you may be able to appeal your conviction to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, you have as little as 10 days from the date of conviction to file a notice of your intent to appeal. If you miss the filing deadline, you lose your right to appeal except in extremely rare circumstances.
Do not wait to contact an appellate lawyer. Let the attorneys at Ciciliano & Associates, LLC review your case to determine if you have grounds for appeal.
Contact Ciciliano & Associates, LLC online or call 702.487.3530 to arrange a consultation. We represent clients in federal appeals clients in Clark County and across Nevada. We represent clients convicted of federal crimes ranging from drug crimes, embezzlement and other white collar crimes, to sex offenses, and violent crimes.
What Can Be Considered in Federal Appeals?
A federal criminal appeal is not a retrial or a second hearing of the evidence presented at your first trial. The federal appellate court hears arguments about errors that may have been made at trial. You can appeal your conviction or the legitimacy of your sentence. You can also seek habeas corpus relief in cases of fundamental unfairness.
In a federal appeal, the court is looking for serious legal errors or fundamental mistakes in the facts errors that occurred in the U.S. District Court criminal case. Even if there were errors, they must also be so serious that they are likely to have influenced the outcome of your case or denied you the right to a fair trial.
The federal appeals process is based on both written briefs and verbal arguments. It can take a year or more for a federal appeal to be completed.
We Worry About the Law So You Don't Have To!
For aggressive representation, contact our Las Vegas law office immediately. Call 702.487.3530. We will explain our fees and the costs of an appeal versus the potential gain and likely outcome. Our office is conveniently located on 10th Street near the federal courthouse in Las Vegas.
