Appellate Litigation

The verdict / judgment is not necessarily the end of a lawsuit.

In fact, litigants have the right to appeal most decisions to a higher court when they have good reason to believe a case was wrongly decided.

The attorneys of Smith Legacy Law handle appeals in all of our practice areas and are also available to defend individuals and businesses against appeals filed by the other party to a case. Whether you’re considering pursuing an appeal or need to defend a verdict rendered in your favor, you can trust our litigators  to direct all of their knowledge and resources toward advocating for and defending your interests to the very end.

Why Retain Smith Legacy Law For Your Appeal?

While courtroom trials are intended to ascertain the facts of a case, appeals are granted at both the state and federal court levels to determine:

• Whether the trial court made an erroneous ruling that affected the outcome of the case.
• If a trial verdict or judgment was improper or went against the evidence presented in court.

Because an appeal is not a retrial, appellants typically aren’t permitted to present new witnesses or introduce new evidence. Instead, success on appeal requires in-depth legal research, full knowledge of the evidentiary record presented at the trial court level, thoughtful writing, persuasive presentations, and the ability to think quickly under intense questioning during oral arguments.  This is where we shine – most attorneys know what the law is, our litigators know what it should be and go the extra mile in legal research and persuasive writing to present the best argument on behalf of our clients.

We understand the rules and procedures that govern appeals at the federal and state levels. Most importantly, our attorneys are aware of the unique approach appellate judges take when deciding a case and are able to leverage that insight to benefit our clients.

Scope of Our Appellate Law Services

Smith Legacy Law provides effective legal representation at every stage of the appeals process:

• Ensuring appealable issues are preserved at the trial court level
• Case analysis and development of appellate strategy
• Interlocutory appeals
• Post-trial motions at the trial court
• Emergency motions to appellate courts
• Research and legal analysis of the pertinent issues on appeal
• Drafting of appellate briefs
• Drafting of Amicus briefs
• Presentation of oral argument
• Petitions for rehearing or reargument
• Appellate motion practice
• Petitions for allowance of discretionary appeals

Our attorneys are well-acquainted with the preparation of writs, appellate briefs, and all manner of appellate motions. They’re also available to act as consultants or co-counsel to trial counsel while a trial is ongoing in order to ensure that the most advantageous record possible is preserved for appeal.

Whether you’re on the receiving end of an unfavorable verdict or seek to have a trial court’s finding upheld, our attorneys will carefully and thoughtfully review every aspect of your case, from pretrial motions through jury instructions, to determine the most effective legal strategy for achieving your goals.

Contact Our Experienced Appellate Lawyers Today

At Smith Legacy Law, our experienced appellate attorneys are able to draw on a wide array of resources typical of large firms yet, at the same time, offer a personalized level of service only available from a boutique practice.

If you’re facing the prospect of an appeal and wish to learn more about our appellate law services, please contact Smith Legacy Law today to schedule your free case review.