Watch this video to learn the top 3 things you should know before appealing a criminal conviction in Wisconsin.
Video Transcription:
"You want to file an appeal any time you think there is a problem with either your sentence, or perhaps during the course of your case there were issues that came up with respect to, for example, a motion to challenge the evidence that came in.
If you're considering appealing your conviction in Wisconsin, the top three things you want to be aware of are, one, filing a notice of intent to pursue post-conviction relief within the 20 days after the conviction.
Secondly, making sure that all the requirements for the actual legal argument, called the brief, including requesting transcripts, are all timely complied with.
And third, hiring a competent experienced attorney to increase your chances of being successful on appeal.
You start the process to appeal by notifying your attorney.
At the sentencing hearing, you will fill out a form. You should get a form that says, “Notice of Intent to Pursue Post-Conviction Relief.” And that's a form where it advises you that you have 20 days to file the necessary paperwork to initiate the process.
An Appellant's Brief is a written legal document—the legal arguments filed by the appellant. The appellant is the individual who initiated the appeal. That typically is an individual who's been convicted, but it can also be the state of Wisconsin if they lose a certain issue in the trial court and they appeal.
So the brief is the actual, self-contained legal document which we put together in file for our clients.
There are many time limits that apply to these appeals. And there's a lot of technical requirements, including how the brief has to be duplicated and put together, requirements for font size—all sorts of technical requirements that—if you're not aware of them—you're held to the same standard as a lawyer.
And so it's not a good idea to be doing it by yourself."
Read Also: Appealing a Conviction After Pleading Guilty to Domestic Battery in Wisconsin: A Success Story
How to Appeal Your Case in Wisconsin
If you are interested in appealing your criminal conviction in Wisconsin, contact an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney right away to help you with this complicated process.
Madison Attorney Pat Stangl has over 30 years of experience helping clients appeal their criminal convictions. Attorney Stangl is pleased to offer to you at no obligation a FREE 10-minute consultation to discuss your options.
Stangl Law Offices, S.C.