As you may know, there are three courts that you can take an appeal to. You must first take your appeal to an appellate court in the state that you live in or faced conviction. If this appeal is denied, you may take your case to the Supreme Court in the state where you faced conviction or where you live. Finally, if this is denied, you can take your appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C. But what are the differences between these courts? Why are there three opportunities to file an appeal? Find out below!

Appellate vs. Supreme Court

The three separate appellate courts differ in some ways that are worth mentioning. One of the biggest differences is the authority that each court has. Supreme Courts have more authority than regular trial or appellate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court has the most authority of all of the courts. The Supreme Court that can review the decisions made by the appellate court. The first court that your appeal will go to is a regular appellate court. This court can uphold the trial decision, or revoke it. If you feel unhappy with the decision made at this level, you may take your case to the Supreme Court in the state where you live.

As a Connecticut resident, this means that you will take your case to the Connecticut Supreme Court. If the Connecticut Supreme Court or another state Supreme Court denies your appeal, you may take it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Keep in mind that appeals are very difficult to get, especially at the Supreme Court level. This is because by the time a case reaches the Supreme Court, a verdict has already been reached and upheld by the appellate court. This makes it more difficult for the Supreme Court to find a reason to overturn a ruling and grant an appeal.

However, it is certainly possible for the Supreme Court to grant your appeal, particularly if you have a strong appellate lawyer working with you and defending your case. If your case is denied by the U.S. Supreme Court, there are no other courts to appeal to. The original conviction imposed during your trial will stand, and you will have to carry out any punishments that were assigned to your case. In addition, you will have a criminal conviction on your record.

Getting Help

If you need help with a case at the appellate court or Supreme Court, our office can assist. Contact our office today to review your situation, get your questions answered, and determine the best way to proceed. We are happy to help.