Requesting an appeal is not always simple. There are strict rules about the timing and proper place for filing a notice of appeal. The assistance of an experienced appellate lawyer is essential if you want to maximize your chances of reversing a criminal conviction or challenging a judge’s order.
Samdperil & Welsh, PLLC has an active appellate practice and offers experienced representation before all New Hampshire state courts, including the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
We have won new trials for clients charged with murder, arson, sexual assault, DWI, and other charges. If you are looking for an experienced appellate lawyer to represent you in your appeal, give us a call.
State v. Julio Ramos, 149 N.H. 218 (2003)
Reversing the defendant’s sexual assault convictions, and adopting a “new standard” for determining whether charges should be consolidated at trial.
View case
State v. Andrea Ayotte, 146 N.H. 544 (2001)
Reversing the defendant’s arson conviction.
View case
State v. Joseph Heirtzler, 147 N.H. 344 (2001)
The defendant, a Londonderry High School student was charged with drug possession. The Supreme Court held that the student’s questioning and search by a school official was unconstitutional.
View case
In Re Erik M., 146 N.H. 508 (2001)
Reversing a lower court’s decision to certify a juvenile as an adult in a case where the juvenile was charged with negligent homicide (DWI). View case
State v. John Denoncourt, 149 N.H. 308 (2003)
Reversing the defendant’s convictions for driving after being certified an habitual offender, disobeying a police officer, and resisting arrest.
View case
State v. Anthony Masucci, 2000-550 (unpublished 3JX opinion, dated March 14, 2002) Reversing the defendant’s conviction for DWI.
State v. James Hall, 148 N.H. 394 (2002)
The defendant was convicted of murdering his mother. The state Supreme Court reversed the defendant’s murder conviction and granted his request for a new trial. View case
If you are scheduled for a trial in a NH district court, your case will be heard by a judge. New Hampshire’s district courts no longer conduct jury trials.
If you are convicted, you may appeal. However, where you file your appeal depends upon what type of charge you were convicted of.
If you were convicted of a class A misdemeanor and received a jail sentence (even if it is a suspended jail sentence), you may appeal to the Superior Court and have a trial in front of a jury. You should make this request in writing at the district court where you had your trial. You must request an appeal on the day of sentencing.
Typically, the sentence you received in the district court will be stayed (i.e., not imposed) pending the appeal. However, you may still have to post bail, or follow any other bail conditions set by the district court judge.
If you were (1) charged with a class A misdemeanor, convicted of that charge, but did not receive any sort of jail sentence, or (2) convicted of a class B misdemeanor or (3) convicted of a violation level offense, you do not have a right to a jury trial and can only appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
There are five judges on the NH Supreme Court – four associate justices, and one Chief Justice. In New Hampshire, all judges are appointed; they are not elected. Judges are nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Executive Council.
With limited exceptions, the New Hampshire Supreme Court is a court of review. This means that it reviews legal decisions by lower courts. The Supreme Court does not hold trials and will not consider new evidence or evidence that was not presented to the trial court.
There are strict rules governing appeals to the NH Supreme Court. You must complete the proper Notice of Appeal form, and file it with the Supreme Court within 30 days of the “final disposition.” In a criminal case, the final disposition is usually the date the judge imposed his or her sentence.
If you are appealing after a trial, the Supreme Court will treat your case as a mandatory appeal. This means that the Court will automatically accept your case for appeal.
In criminal cases, most appeals are mandatory appeals. However, just because the Supreme Court accepts your case for appeal does not mean that the judges view your appeal favorably, or that they agree that you were wrongly convicted.
Once a case is accepted for appeal, the NH Supreme Court will order that a transcript of the trial or hearing be prepared. Transcripts typically take 45-60 days to prepare, but may take longer, depending upon the number of days the trial lasted.
When the transcripts are completed, the Supreme Court will issue a briefing schedule, instructing the parties to file a legal brief or memorandum by a certain date. The party who is appealing files its brief first. The other party usually has 30-60 additional days to file its brief.
Like the Notice of Appeal, there are strict rules governing the filing of Briefs. These rules dictate everything from the page margins and location of staples, to the number of copies to be filed and forwarded to other interested parties. For this reason, it is extremely important that the attorney you hire is knowledgeable about appellate procedure and is experienced practicing before the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
After the parties file their briefs or memoranda, the Supreme Court will either consider the case and render a decision, or schedule the case for oral argument. Oral argument may be requested, but the Court does not always grant the request.
The Supreme Court may schedule oral argument before the full panel of five judges, or before a panel of three judges (referred to as the 3JX panel). Each side is typically allotted 15 minutes of argument before the full panel, and five minutes of argument before the 3JX panel. The judges frequently ask questions of the lawyers during these arguments.
The Court will not make a decision at the end of oral arguments. In most cases the Court will consider the matter and issue a written decision at a later date. A 3JX panel may also refer the case to the full panel and schedule another oral argument before all five judges.
When the Supreme Court has reached its decision, the clerk sends a copy of the decision to all the parties. If the Court believes its decision interprets the law in a new or significant way, it may publish the decision (often titled an Opinion) on the Supreme Court’s website and in bound volumes of decisions called the New Hampshire Reports.
If the Court reverses or vacates a criminal conviction, the case will be “remanded” (i.e., sent back) to the lower court. A criminal case may be remanded for a new trial, for re-sentencing, or with instructions that the lower court judge hold further hearings or make additional findings.
If a case is affirmed, the conviction is final.
If the New Hampshire Supreme Court affirms a criminal conviction, the defendant may file a petition with the United States Supreme Court asking that Court to review the decision of the N.H. Court.
A defendant filing a petition for Supreme Court review must claim that his or her rights under federal law were violated. The U.S. Supreme Court does not have to accept these cases, and frequently denies these petitions.
Once a person is found guilty of a crime, there are a limited number of ways to have the conviction reversed or obtain a new trial.
The most direct way is an appeal. However, if the appeal period has expired or there is newly discovered evidence of the defendant’s innocence, there may be other ways to get back into court, such as a motion for new trial or a petition for a writ of habeas corpus.
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