Appeals Attorneys in Ellis County & Navarro County

A Criminal Conviction Isn't Always the Final Word

If you have been convicted of a crime, it can feel like the fight with the criminal justice system is over. But it isn't always. You may have the right to challenge that conviction if there was an error with how it came about. Don’t let that opportunity slip away. Reach out to The Law Office of Michael J. Crawford now and talk to our team of Ellis County and Navarro County appeals lawyers. We know how much is riding on what happens next, and we're ready to take on that fight with you.

Don't let a filing deadline cost you your chance to appeal. Call (214) 903-7722 today for a free consultation with our appeals attorneys serving Ellis County and Navarro County.

Why You Should Hire Our Firm for Your Appeal

An appeal is not a second trial, and it shouldn't be handled by just anyone. It requires a different skill set than typical courtroom advocacy: the ability to comb through a trial record line by line, identify the legal errors that occurred, and prepare a compelling written argument to a panel of appellate justices who weren't in the courtroom.

You’ll want our team in charge of your appeal because:

• We are backed by a legal team that has taken more than 350 criminal cases to trial.
• We use a collaborative approach involving attorneys, paralegals, and an investigator who scrutinize every ruling, objection, and piece of evidence from your case.
• We have familiarity with the 10th Court of Appeals in Waco and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin, including their procedures and expectations.
• We bring trial-tested insight into how cases are supposed to be handled, so we know where to look if something went wrong in yours.

When you hire us, you're not just hiring an appeals lawyer. You're putting our firm's full trial experience to work identifying the mistakes that may have unjustly shaped your conviction.

What is a Criminal Appeal?

A criminal appeal asks a higher court to review your case for legal errors that may have affected the outcome at trial. It's important to understand that an appeal is not a new trial. You won't be presenting new evidence, and no witnesses will testify. Instead, an appellate court reviews the existing trial record, along with written legal briefs from both sides, to decide whether the trial court made a mistake serious enough to change the result. Because of this, a successful appeal depends heavily on identifying and clearly articulating the legal errors that occurred.

When an Appeal May Be Possible

Not every conviction can be reversed, but several circumstances may give you legitimate grounds for an appeal, including:

• Evidence that was improperly admitted or excluded at trial
• Ineffective assistance of counsel
• Prosecutorial misconduct
• Improper jury instructions
• Insufficient evidence to support the verdict
• Errors made during sentencing

If any of these issues affected your case, you may have a path forward, and we can help you find out. Not sure if an error happened? Talk to us during a free consultation, so we can determine if there are grounds for an appeal.

When an Appeal May Not Be Possible

An appeal isn't always an option. If you pleaded guilty, you may have waived many of your rights to appeal, although important exceptions still exist. Texas law also imposes strict deadlines, generally requiring a notice of appeal within 30 days of sentencing, so acting quickly is a must. And because an appeal reviews legal errors rather than re-examining the facts, simply disagreeing with the verdict isn't enough on its own to succeed.

What Can an Appeal Achieve?

The outcome of an appeal can be influenced by the specific errors involved and the strength of the argument presented.

Depending on your case, a successful appeal may result in a:

• Reversed conviction
• New trial
• Modified or reduced sentence
• Case remanded to the trial court for further proceedings
• Dismissal

No outcome can be guaranteed, but a properly handled appeal at least gives you the chance to continue the fight to protect your rights.

Get Appeals Help Now – Call Our Firm

Time is not on your side when it comes to appeals in Texas, so get the help of our legal professionals as soon as you can. At The Law Office of Michael J. Crawford, we have spent years preparing cases from the ground up, and we bring that same relentless preparation to appellate cases. Whether your goal is a new trial, a reduced sentence, or a reversed conviction, we're ready to put our trial-tested team behind your fight.

Your case, freedom, and future are worth fighting for at every stage. Contact us today at (214) 903-7722 for a free, confidential consultation. We answer calls and texts 24/7, and we're proud to serve our clients in both English and Spanish.