A conviction, read again on its record
A direct appeal reviews a conviction or a sentence on what the trial court created: the transcript, the exhibits and the rulings. It is not a new trial, and a jury’s account of the facts is rarely disturbed.
Adaline takes appeals from felony and misdemeanor convictions and from sentences, in state and federal court. She doesn’t try cases, and she doesn’t promise a result. What she promises is a full reading and a plain answer about what she found.
Families often make the first call. She is glad to talk with you; she can act only for the person convicted, and with that person’s agreement.
Where an appeal turns
Four questions a criminal appeal asks
Was the evidence fairly admitted?
A statement, a search or a witness the court should have kept out, or something it kept out that the jury should have heard.
Was the jury told the law correctly?
Instructions and verdict forms are read closely. A missing defense or a muddled definition can be reason enough for a new trial.
Was the sentence one the law allows?
A range exceeded, a prior offense counted twice, a condition the statute doesn’t permit. Sentences are often easier to correct than convictions.
A claim that counsel failed is usually raised outside the direct appeal. It belongs to post-conviction, and Adaline will say which door it is.
Sample matters
Two criminal appeals, and their limits
New trial ordered
Assault conviction, jury instruction challenged
The jury was never told about a defense the evidence supported. The objection had been made at trial, so the court ordered a new one.
2024 · Sample matter
A new trial is a second chance at the case, not a finding of innocence, and the outcome is open.
Sentence reduced
Drug conviction, enhancement misapplied
A prior offense had been counted twice to lengthen the sentence. The court removed one count and sent the case back for resentencing.
2025 · Sample matter
Resentencing aims at a shorter sentence. It does not guarantee one.
Sample matters, written as examples for this template; an owner replaces them with real ones. Every appeal turns on its own record, and past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
Questions from the family
Can I call on behalf of someone in custody?
Yes. Adaline can listen and explain the process. To act in the case she needs the person convicted to agree, usually by signing an engagement letter.
Is it too late if sentencing was a while ago?
Possibly, and possibly not. The time to appeal runs from the judgment, and some other filings run on different clocks. Send the date and she will count.
Does an appeal get my family member out?
Not by itself. An appeal asks a court to correct an error. If it succeeds, the usual result is a new trial or a new sentence, not release.
Count the days before anything else
Send the judgment of conviction and the date it was entered. Please leave out details you wouldn’t want read by anyone but your lawyer.