Virginia Civil Litigation Appeals Lawyer

A plaintiff will want to appeal the court’s decision if they lost at trial or there were decisions made prior to trial that adversely affected their ability to secure a judgment. It could also be that even if they prevailed, they might want to appeal just because the other side is appealing and they want to show that there is some risk to them.

In some states, an appeal is a right, so the individual can always file a notice of appeal. They still have to be able to make an argument that is tied to a decision that the trial court made and somehow prejudiced the outcome. They cannot just tell the court, for example, that they are dissatisfied with the result of the trial court, they have to explain why the trial court was wrong.

For help with appealing your case, get in touch with a Virginia civil litigation appeals lawyer today. A seasoned civil litigation attorney could advocate for you throughout the appeals process.

Valid Reasons for an Appeal in NoVa

The plaintiff can say the trial court erred in not granting a motion for summary judgment, or the trial court made a mistake in granting the motion, or the trial court erred in making or admitting evidence at trial or in not admitting evidence at trial or crediting witnesses. Those are hard appeals to make, but basically that the trial court made an error of law and decided the case on the wrong law or misapplied the right law. For more information, consult with a civil litigation appeals lawyer in Virginia.

Appeals Process for Civil Litigations

Generally, the appeals process for civil litigations depends on what state they are in. Each state and court has its own specific process, which generally requires filing a notice of appeal with the trial court in a specific period after the judgment or the final order is entered. Then, they have to comply with the procedures of the appellate court.

If it is a civil circuit court matter that is appealed to the court of appeals, they have to put together the record and a brief and work cooperatively with the other side to give the court of appeals the entirety of the records and the information it needs to pass a judgment on the appeal. Then, they have an argument in which they will appear before an appellate panel of a certain number of judges who will ask questions of them and try to figure out whether they have a basis for appeal. The appeal process will take a year from the time they appeal to the time they get an order, and it could be eight to 12 months after the judgment is entered. A skilled lawyer in NoVa could help someone through the appeals process for civil litigation.

What Virginia Courts Handle Appeals?

In Virginia, appeals are handled by the court of appeals, a supreme court, and even circuit courts, the circuit court taking them from the general district court. There is no right to appeal to the Supreme court. They to file a petition for certification and they have to appear before the Supreme Court and then at the smaller panel. The panel says whether there are grounds to go to the next phase, which is the full Supreme Court. An appeal from the general district court to the circuit court is basically for getting a new trial.

Contact a Virginia Civil Litigation Appeals Attorney

A person seeking an appeal should seek an attorney who has experienced in the process. An accomplished Virginia civil litigation appeals lawyer could fight for you and stand by your side throughout. Call today and set up a consultation.