The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is the federal appellate court with jurisdiction over the federal districts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. In almost all cases, a would-be appellant cannot initiate a case in this court until he has received a final judgment within the district court. […]
In most cases, a loss in a Colorado District Court case may be appealed directly to the Colorado Court of Appeals. In order to preserve the opportunity to pursue an appeal, however, a litigant must pay careful attention to the Colorado Appellate Rules (“CAR”) and the deadlines contained therein. The first step is filing and […]
As a litigant in a civil county court case, you have the option to appeal an adverse order to the district court of the same county. This type of appeal is governed by Colorado Rule of County Court Civil Procedure 411, and has different rules and deadlines than a traditional appeal to the Colorado Court […]
As a criminal defendant in a county court case, you have the option to appeal an adverse order to the district court of the same county. This type of appeal is governed by Colorado Rule of Criminal Procedure 37, and has different rules and deadlines than a traditional appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals. […]
In any appeal, it is vital to pay attention to all deadlines. In a worst-case scenario, a missed deadline can be fatal to an appeal. However, the Colorado Appellate Rules allow a litigant to request an extension of a missed deadline in certain, limited instances. Courts are often loathe to grant such requests, however, so […]
On January 19, 2017, managing attorney K.L. Penix argued before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on behalf of plaintiff-appellant in Sabina Burton v. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, et. al. The primary issue in the case was whether Burton was entitled to relief under Title VII of the […]
A motion for a new trial is a common post-conviction motion that asks a reviewing court to overturn a judge’s order or a jury’s verdict, thereby putting the defendant in the position he was in prior to the start of trial. In Wisconsin, the availability of a new trial is governed by Wis. Stat. §805.15, […]
Whether you privately retain an appellate attorney or are appointed one by the court, one of the first things your appellate attorney will request is the entire case file. Many people are surprised to find that it can cost hundreds of dollars to obtain all documents in a case file. This often prompts individuals to […]
In the majority of criminal cases, a successful appeal or post-conviction motion is not the end of a criminal case. In fact, most post-conviction motions and appeals request specific relief that prolongs the case further, such as a new trial, a new sentencing hearing, or the withdrawal of a plea and the opportunity to go […]
A defendant who wishes to appeal a criminal conviction must inform the court of his intention by filing a notice of appeal. The notice of appeal sets into motion deadlines for various other events, leading up to the deadline to file the appellate brief. While this deadline may be extended as necessary (for more information […]