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Appeals

Our Appeal Attorneys Work to Right Other's Wrongs

You or a loved one may have been wrongly convicted because judges, prosecutors, and defense lawyers made mistakes which deprived you of a fair trial. To make sure you received a fair trial or sentence, the Constitution provides that you have the right to appeal any conviction or sentence received, whether in Municipal or Superior Court, but there is a time limit on filing an appeal.

The appellate attorneys at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., are here to help you. They offer their experience in managing a variety of appeals, including those involving complex issues or voluminous records, accelerated appeals, interlocutory appeals or emergent appeals. One of our appellate attorneys, a former assistant prosecutor of over 26 years, has handled hundreds of appeals on behalf of the state, not only writing briefs setting forth legal arguments but also appearing in the Law Division, Appellate Division and before the New Jersey Supreme Court to argue. 

Our attorneys will review each matter, whether trial, guilty plea or motion, for any errors that occurred and will file an appeal highlighting these errors for the appellate court to correct.

Our seasoned appellate attorneys are skilled in raising issues to persuade the appellate court that harmful error occurred.

 They may point out that some judges err by:

• Allowing improper evidence against a defendant; or
• Excluding evidence favorable to a defendant.

They may demonstrate that some prosecutors:

• Make unfair statements against defendants;
• Prevent favorable evidence from being admitted; or
• Otherwise prejudice a defendant.

They may show that some defense attorneys:

• Improperly investigate a case;
• Fail to prepare for a case;
• Have insufficient knowledge of the law;
• Fail to make proper objections, fail to use investigators ; or
• Fail to call witnesses on a defendant's behalf.

They will illustrate to the appellate courts that these errors negatively impacted on your trial, guilty plea or resulting sentence, which could lead to a reversal of the conviction and a new trial or resentencing. In some instances, our attorneys may obtain your release from prison on bail while the appeal is pending.

Because errors occur in any proceeding, our appellate practice is not limited to criminal or municipal matters. The same level of care is offered to protect you from any unjust decision in civil courts or in administrative matters, such as those involving the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (formerly DYFS), the Motor Vehicle Commission or your place of employment. Our attorneys are waiting to protect your rights.