7 Things to Look for in an Orange County Appeals Attorney

If you’ve been convicted of a crime in Orange County, it doesn’t mean your case needs to end.

You still have options. One of those options is to appeal your conviction. If your appeal is successful, you could avoid the sentence that was imposed and all its consequences.

Before you appeal your case, it is important that you research appellate attorneys that may be able to handle this complex matter. Appeals are not easy, and your case could be a life-changing decision, so you need to know what to look for when hiring an appeals lawyer in Orange County.

With that in mind, here are seven key things you should look for when you are searching for an Orange County appeals attorney.

1. Experience with Appeals is Key

When it comes to criminal appeals, there is no substitute for experience. The appeals process is extremely complex, which is why you need to hire an attorney who has a history of success handling appeals cases.

Our skilled and knowledgeable appellate attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have been helping clients successfully appeal criminal convictions for more than 40 years. Our decades of experience allow us to help our clients obtain the best possible outcome in their cases. Make sure you ask any potential attorneys how many years of experience they have handling appeal matters.

2. Experience in Orange County Courts is Necessary

When it comes to experience, it is also important that you hire an attorney who has successfully dealt with the specific court where your appeal is being heard. Each district and division has different justices, staff and clerks, and each has their own opinions and ideas. You need an attorney who understands your local appellate court and how the court functions.

The appeals court in Orange County is Division Three of the Fourth District California Court of Appeal. Our attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have become very familiar with this court and its procedures, and we can use this knowledge to help you file a successful appeal.

3. You Need a Team of Lawyers at a Law Firm

One of the most important things you can do when searching for an attorney to handle your appeal is hire a law firm rather than a single attorney or solo practitioner.

When you hire a law firm like Wallin & Klarich, you are not just hiring one attorney. You’re hiring a team of attorneys who will work together and use their collective knowledge to help you achieve a favorable outcome in your case. This is especially important when reviewing complicated appellate matters.

4. You Need a Firm the Will Make Time for You

A significant benefit you get when you hire an experienced law firm to handle your case is that a firm will have the time and energy to focus on your appeal.

At Wallin & Klarich, we will take the time to focus on your case and provide you with the highest quality defense possible. The appeals process involves many steps, and our law firm will be able to make sure each step of the process is handled with care.

5. Is Your Attorney Rated on AVVO and Lawyers.com?

One clear consumer advantage in the internet age is greater transparency. Websites such as AVVO.com and Lawyers.com are among the most trusted lawyer rating sites on the internet. Before you hire a lawyer, it is important to make sure your attorney is listed on these sites and has high ratings from previous clients and peers.

Our law firm has achieved perfect scores of 10.0 on AVVO and 5 out of 5 on Lawyers.com. These ratings are based on reviews from real Wallin & Klarich clients. We also have many five-star testimonials from clients on review sites such as Yelp. If you hire our firm to handle your appeal, you can trust that your case is in good hands.

6. There Are No Guarantees that Your Appeal Will Be Granted

There are no guarantees when it comes to law, especially regarding appeals. Therefore, you should never expect to have a lawyer guarantee that he or she can win your appeal.

If you’re considering hiring a lawyer who has guaranteed you success in getting your appeal granted, you should not trust this lawyer. Not only is it impossible to predict if your appeal will be granted, it is also against state law to make guarantees to clients. Any lawyer who guarantees a victory in an appeals or any other criminal case could lose their license to practice law.

Not only is guaranteeing you success in your case unlawful, predicting the outcome of your case is also unethical. Since appeals cases are complex, many things can happen during the legal process. You should hire a lawyer who is honest with you from the start and does not exhibit unlawful or unethical behavior.

7. Did Your Attorney Explain Pricing and Fees in Writing?

When researching attorneys, pricing will likely be a factor for you. Appeals are handled in different ways than criminal cases, so make sure you obtain a written agreement from your lawyer that spells out services and fees. If the lawyer does not wish to provide you with this information, you may want to look elsewhere for an appellate lawyer.

Contact the Orange County Appeals Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich

If you or a loved one is considering filing a criminal appeal in Orange County, you need to contact an experienced appeals attorney immediately. At Wallin & Klarich, our skilled lawyers have been successfully handling appeals cases for more than 40 years. We’ve successfully helped thousands of clients in their time of legal need, and we can help you now.

With offices located in Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Victorville, West Covina, Torrance, Los Angeles and San Diego, there is an experienced Wallin & Klarich attorney available to help you no matter where you work or live.

Call us today at (877) 4-NO-JAIL or (877) 466-5245 for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.