COLORADO APPEAL LAWYERS
Fuller & Ahern, P.C. offers a free consultation with one of our appellate attorneys to fully answer your questions about appealing or defending an appeal.
When a judge or jury makes errors that lead to an unjust outcome, the remedy is to appeal to a higher court who can review what took place and reverse any errors. You need an appellate lawyer who is skilled at showing how the court’s errors led to an improper result. Alternatively, if you won your civil trial and the opposing party is appealing, you need an attorney to defend the outcome and show why it was correct.
The appellate attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C. have represented clients for their appeals from Colorado’s county and district courts to the Colorado Court of Appeals and on to the Colorado Supreme Court. We have the experience to win on appeal when the stakes are at their highest. Focusing on cases that protect individual rights, our firm handles complex appeal cases across a wide range of legal areas.
Stages of an Appeal
Notice of Appeal — The appeal begins with the filing of a Notice of Appeal, which must be done in a short period following either a criminal conviction or a final order in a civil case. Do not delay in contacting a Colorado appeals attorney as these deadlines must be met or you will lose your opportunity to appeal.
Designation of Record — After the filing of a Notice of Appeal, the record from the lower court will be designated for the appeal. This step ensures that all the evidence needed to show the errors in your case is presented to the judges of the reviewing court. The record includes the transcripts of all relevant hearings, as well as all other filings and exhibits in the lower court case.
Opening Brief — The Opening Brief is a detailed document showing the higher court why the trial court’s orders were in error. This document has a particular format that must be followed, and the arguments must be crafted for maximum persuasive effect on the judges. When selecting an attorney for your appeal, you should ensure that they have the skills to present your arguments in the most effective manner with the highest potential to overcome the trial outcome.
Answer Brief — The defending party on appeal will then file an Answer Brief defending the outcome of the trial. Their brief will attempt to attack and undermine your claims that there were errors that resulted in wrongful court orders or a wrongful criminal conviction.
Reply Brief — Lastly, the appellant files a Reply Brief to respond to the points raised in the Answer Brief and strengthen the arguments that would show errors justifying appellate relief.
Oral Argument — When appealing to the Court of Appeals, either party can request oral argument, in which the attorneys answer questions directed by the reviewing judges. These hearings are short and are not designed to simply repeat the arguments in the briefing, but rather to target specific questions of the Court in order to resolve any lingering issues that the Court may raise about the appeal.
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- Heather L.James Ahearn assisted us with a matter and was superb. He was very thorough in his communications with us, kept us apprised of issues as they arose, and provide excellent legal representation. We would highly recommend James if you are looking for an attorney to assist you. A definite 5 stars!
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Working with James Ahern was the best decision I could have made. When wrongfully accused, James stayed diligent to ensure justice was found and didn't stop until it was. I would highly recommend anyone needing defense to call Fuller & Ahern!- David C. -
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CRIMINAL APPEALS
If you or a family member have been convicted of a crime, and there were errors in your case, you should not delay in seeking an experienced Colorado appellate attorney to challenge your conviction. You may be able to obtain a new trial or other relief if constitutional rights or other legal rights were violated. Seeking appeal is a path to continue the fight for a just result after a criminal charge and conviction.
Fuller & Ahern, P.C. offers a free consultation with one of our appellate attorneys to fully answer your questions about appealing a criminal conviction.
A client’s rights can be violated at any stage of a criminal investigation and case, including the arrest, pretrial, trial, and sentencing stages. Our attorneys are experienced at locating these issues and raising them on appeal, with the goal of overturning a wrongful guilty verdict.
A member of our team will be in touch shortly to confirm your contact details or address questions you may have.
CIVIL APPEALS
Fuller & Ahern, P.C. offers a free consultation with one of our appellate attorneys to fully answer your questions about appealing or defending a civil appeal.
An appeal in a civil case is brought when one party or the other disagrees with the orders of a judge or the decision of a jury. The appellate attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C. have brought and defended appeals on a wide range of civil actions. For many civil cases, appeal involves a money judgment. In family court cases, appeal may be sought regarding the allocation of marital assets and debts, maintenance and child support rulings, and orders regarding child custody. Other civil appeals may involve court rulings on permanent protection orders or findings of contempt.
In some cases, clients have obtained a favorable ruling from the court and must defend the orders from the other side’s appeal. In those cases, our attorneys demonstrate through detailed briefing the reasons that the trial court or jury was correct and why the decision should be left unchanged. If the other side has appealed your case, contact the appellate attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C. to discuss defending the appeal.
In other cases, we are retained after a client has received a negative outcome in court, and our attorneys must search and analyze every legal error that may justify changing the ruling or ordering a new trial. If you have experienced an unfair outcome in court, contact the appellate attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C. to analyze whether you may have grounds for appeal. An appeal is the way to challenge an unjust outcome in the trial court.