Appellate Attorney Serving Alabama in Guntersville, Huntsville, and Arab
The Hawkins Law Firm provides appellate advocacy services for our clients when appeals become necessary. We fight hard for our clients, with the dedication that includes bringing and defending matters at the appellate level whenever necessary to vindicate clients’ rights. We file appeals on our clients’ behalf or respond to our opponents’ appeals when they refuse to accept our hard-won victories. We handle appeals from the ground-up or as referred by other trial firms.
Litigators from Trials to Appeals
Our law practice includes a strong, full-service litigation component. We regularly litigate matters across all of our practice areas, including contested divorces and other family law matters, probate proceedings, wills and trust disputes, and business and corporate matters including breach of contract and various business torts. We fight for our clients’ rights through trial and beyond. If the results at trial are not acceptable, we will take the matter to the next level through the appellate process.
Winning at Trial is Just the Beginning
On appeal, the parties do not re-litigate the entire trial. Instead, your appellate attorney will craft an argument based on the trial record, Alabama case law, and statutes. Our litigation teams, consisting of experienced paralegals and appellate attorneys, understand the skills necessary to succeed at the appellate level. We conduct a thorough review of the trial transcript for all appealable errors and prepare a detailed appellate brief describing each error with supporting points of law and prior case precedent. From research and writing to presenting oral arguments, we strive to provide effective, results-oriented appellate advocacy for our clients.
Hawkins Law Firm founder and senior appellate attorney Lana Hawkins knows how to craft a winning argument. She is a member of prestigious legal writing organizations including Scribes and the Legal Writing Institute. All of the detail-oriented appellate attorneys at the Hawkins Law Firm are ready to apply our years of experience with Alabama state and federal law, and our dedication to precision in writing and argument crafting ensures that no critical fact is overlooked, no important precedential case is forgotten, and no useful argument is left unconsidered. We will present your case to the appeals court with the efficiency, poise, and zeal necessary to protect your rights.
The Appeals Process in Alabama
In Alabama, parties appeal to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, or the Alabama Supreme Court, depending on the type of case. The Court of Civil Appeals handles civil matters, including business disputes and family law matters, while the Court of Criminal Appeals handles criminal matters. Parties can appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court after going through the appropriate intermediate appellate court, or directly from trial court if the matter involves a dispute over more than $50,000. Parties must follow the Alabama Rules of Appellate Procedure, which differ significantly from the rules of evidence at the trial level.
If your case involves a matter of federal law or a dispute between parties of different states, then we will fight your case in federal court. In Alabama federal court, you can appeal as a matter of right to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. If the matter is still unresolved after the Eleventh Circuit issues its decision, one or both parties can petition the United States Supreme Court for “certiorari,” which allows the Supreme Court to decide whether to review the appellate court’s ruling on a particular issue. Supreme Court review is not guaranteed and is, in fact, rarely granted.
Planning for Appeal Starts During the Trial
Given the adversarial nature of litigation, most trials end with at least one side disappointed. It is not uncommon for a dissatisfied party to continue the challenge by appealing an adverse decision to the next level. An appeal, however, is not an automatic next step in every case. The party wishing to appeal must have solid grounds to appeal the case and must lay the proper foundation by making and preserving objections at trial, filing the appropriate post-judgment motions and filing a timely notice of appeal.
Failing to make the appropriate arguments or motions during the trial court proceedings can leave a party with no recourse after an adverse ruling. With our Alabama trial experience, we are careful to preserve our client’s appellate rights.
Trial Lawyers: Handling Your Own Appeals Can be Labor-Intensive and Inefficient for Your Legal Practice
If you are an attorney with a heavy caseload at the investigatory and trial levels, you may not have the time or the desire to handle your own appeals. Without established infrastructure, dealing with state and federal appeals can be more thankless and less cost-effective than is ideal for your firm. Dealing with the unfamiliar filing and formatting rules of each jurisdiction, in addition to learning the specific law of the appeals court and the temperament of each appellate judge, can add many extra hours of labor for which your clients don’t want to pay. Handing off your appeals to an established appellate practice allows your firm to focus on what you do best, sticking to the areas where you are most efficient and cost-effective. Trimming the fat by letting us field your appeals will save you time and money and will keep your clients happy by maintaining your well-oiled machine. Let the Hawkins Law Firm handle your Alabama state and federal appeals.
Effective Trial and Appellate Advocacy Attorney
The Hawkins Law Firm regularly practices before Alabama appellate courts. We know the courts and how to prepare and present persuasive appeals on behalf of our clients. In Alabama, contact The Hawkins Law Firm for effective trial and appellate advocacy.
