Start Here: Georgia Appeal or Federal Appeal?
The first question is jurisdiction: where was the conviction?
Georgia State Court
Convictions in Superior Court or other state courts.
Georgia Appeals
Federal Court
Convictions in U.S. District Courts.
Federal AppealsWhat an Appeal Is (and What It Isn’t)
Appeals focus on legal errors—things like improper admission or exclusion of evidence, incorrect jury instructions, constitutional violations affecting fairness, unlawful sentencing decisions, and legal errors in rulings on motions.
Appeals typically do not present new evidence, retry the case with new witnesses, or reargue credibility decisions made by the jury. Appellate courts generally decide cases based on the record from the trial court.
Common Issue Categories
- Trial Errors (Evidentiary rulings, Jury charges)
- Constitutional Issues (4th, 5th, 6th Amendment)
- Sentencing Issues (Unlawful sentences, Guideline disputes)