Appeals and the Writ of Habeas Corpus FAQ

Questions:

• What is an appeal?
• What are the chances that my conviction will be reversed?
• What is a writ?
• What's the difference between a writ and an appeal?
• What is a writ of habeas corpus?

Answer:

What is an appeal?

An appeal is a request to a higher (appellate) court for that court to review and change the decision of a lower court. Because post-trial motions requesting trial courts to change their own judgments or order new jury trials are so seldom successful, the defendant who hopes to overturn a guilty verdict must usually appeal. The defendant may challenge the conviction itself or may appeal the trial court's sentencing decision without actually challenging the underlying conviction.