Appellate Attorney - Reasons to Use One When You Appeal an Outcome

If you were not happy with the outcome of your recent court case, you typically have the option to appeal the decision. Though you may have been able to get by without a lawyer originally, you are advised to hire an appellate attorney when you appeal the outcome. You are essentially getting a second chance, and you do not want to mess this up, which is why you need an expert. If you are still unsure as to whether to get a lawyer, you should consider some of the specific tasks that one can do for you.

In most cases, the deadline to appeal the decision is very soon after you get the result. For example, when you do not like your bankruptcy ruling, you have about ten days from the date that the decision is posted to appeal. This means that you have less than two weeks to decide whether to proceed with your case, so you have to consider any evidence on your side, and the pros and cons of going to court again. An appellate attorney can help you make this decision in the short amount of time you have, going over the advantages and disadvantages of appealing. A lawyer of this type will not only help you meet the short deadlines associated with the appeals process, but will also help you determine the evidence to turn in.

Once you file a notice of appeal with the court, you need to work on your case so that it is stronger than it was originally. This may mean building on the previous material, or it might require you to completely overhaul your argument and take a different approach. This is what you should have a lawyer for, as you will be able to get a professional to decide whether your original approach just needs to be tweaked, or if it was wholly responsible for the unacceptable outcome in the courtroom. Plus, a good appellate attorney can review the evidence against you to determine if any mistakes were made, which you can use in your favor during court, enabling you to avoid even having to collect additional proof to support your view.

Of course, one of the main reasons to use a lawyer at all is to have some clout that most individuals lack when in court. Not only do most lawyers know the legal system better than you do, but they also get more respect in the courtroom than individuals representing themselves. They tend to know the best ways to approach cases, as well as the rules of the courtroom, which is why people who support themselves are at a disadvantage compared to those with lawyers.

In general, if you really want to win, you are advised to hire a legal professional. You may have learned this the hard way by losing the first time without the help of an attorney, and this is why you have to protest the decision at all. Clearly, you should at least given an appellate attorney a chance by attending a consultation.