Seattle Federal Appeals Attorney

Why consider a Seattle federal appeals attorney from our team for your case?

• Our team has been involved in over 500 federal appeals cases.
• Over 50 years of combined frontline experience.
• You will work directly with your senior attorney from day one — no junior attorneys or assistants.

Federal appeals cases are complex, costly, and time-consuming. To get through this difficult process, you will need strong legal representation to challenge the results of your criminal trial. The federal criminal appeals lawyers at the national defense firm of Oberheiden P.C. are prepared to advocate for your rights and will guide you toward the best legal options for a successful appeal in Seattle, Washington.

Oberheiden P.C. can represent clients in Washington state with their federal trials and appeals. Criminal court cases are not foolproof and judges can make mistakes. If your case was mishandled or errors were made during the trial, you have a right to get that part of your case re-examined by the federal Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Federal Criminal Trial and Appeals Process in Seattle, Washington

Before defendants begin the appeals process, they must go through the federal criminal court system and hear the legal judgment for their criminal case. Possible outcomes could involve a criminal conviction and a sentence. To get to this point, though, defendants will go through many different legal steps.

To begin, criminal suspects are investigated by federal authorities. This investigation could go on for years. In less complex cases, evidence can be gathered at the scene of a crime within minutes. Regardless, if the investigation yields significant evidence of a crime, federal agents will present this evidence to a grand jury. The jury will vote on whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed.

If the jury agrees that there is probable cause you will be arrested and charged with a federal crime. At this point, you will be summoned to court for an initial hearing. During this arraignment, the charges will be read to you and, if you qualify, bail will be set. Most defendants will hire legal representation at this stage and start to gather their own evidence with their legal team to build a defense case for the upcoming proceedings.

In most criminal cases, a plea bargain is made. Defendants often make a deal with the prosecution team to avoid harsher sentencing. Some cases do end up going to court. In this situation, defendants will have to build a strong defense strategy with their lawyer to avoid a conviction. If convicted for a federal crime you could face jail time and other serious consequences.

Criminal cases charged in Seattle, Washington, will be held in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. There are two courthouse locations for this district. Most likely, you will be sent to the courthouse located right in Seattle at 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310, Seattle, WA 98101.

If your trial ends in a conviction and you wish to make an appeal, you will go through the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit hears appeals cases for the entire West Coast, including Washington state. Appellate courts play a crucial role in reviewing district trial court decisions to ensure that errors made during the process are addressed. There are four court locations you could be sent to for your appeals trial. They are the:

1. James R. Browning Courthouse (95 Seventh St., San Francisco, CA 94103)
2. William K. Nakamura Courthouse (1051 Sixth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104)
3. Pioneer Courthouse (700 SW Sixth Ave., Suite 110, Portland, OR 97204)
4. Richard H. Chambers Courthouse (125 South Grand Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105)

Cases based in Seattle, Washington, are generally heard in the Seattle courthouse. Here, the appeals judges will make a decision about your appeal. If your legal results are still not what you want, you can petition to have your case heard by the Supreme Court of the United States. Less than three percent of appeals cases are accepted by the United States Supreme Court, though. Most defendants will not reach this stage, but our law firm will help you make this final appeal if it becomes necessary for your case.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former DOJ Trial Attorney

Partner

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney

Hon. Kevin McCarthy

55th Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives (ret.)

Government Consultant

Mike Pompeo

Of Counsel

Former U.S. Secretary of State

John W. Sellers

Former Senior DOJ Trial Attorney

Linda Julin McNamara

Federal Appeals Attorney

Nicholas B. Johnson

Former Prosecutor

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (DOJ)

Chris J. Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Michael S. Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (DOD-OIG)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

What to Expect During Your Appeal in Washington

A federal appeal gives defendants the opportunity to obtain justice and a better legal result. However, do not expect your federal appeal to go through the same steps as your criminal trial. These are two entirely different legal processes. Defendants will not be getting a retrial when they make their appeal.

Instead, you and your legal team will be presenting evidence that your trial was mishandled or wrongly judged. Typically, appeals are filed if there are grounds for an appeal, such as:

• The jury judging your case was biased, unfair, or committed misconduct
• The evidence used to convict you was unlawfully obtained
• The evidence obtained was insufficient to prove your guilt
• Laws have changed since you were sentenced
• The judge incorrectly interpreted existing law
• A legal error was made by the prosecution team or the judge

Once you have determined that you have grounds to appeal your case, your Seattle federal appeals attorney will need to file a Notice of Appeal within 14 days to the district court. Then your legal team will have to create a brief explaining why your conviction or sentence should be overturned. Generally, new evidence cannot be submitted.

After the brief is sent to the Circuit Court, a panel of judges will decide whether they will reverse the district court’s decision. In some cases, your Seattle federal appeals lawyer might have to make an oral argument to the judges. Otherwise, your case will be judged behind closed doors and the court’s verdict will be sent out in a formal written decision. This could result in:

• Your initial conviction or sentence being reaffirmed
• Your conviction getting completely reversed and new instructions are given to the district court to resolve any errors or mistakes
• A new trial is ordered for your case
• Your sentence is lowered or you are re-sentenced

The complete reversal of a conviction is rare. Most reversals lead to a remand of your case back to the district court. If your conviction or sentence are reaffirmed by the Ninth Circuit, you can petition for an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Types of Criminal Cases Oberheiden P.C. Handles

Oberheiden P.C. has handled criminal appeals cases throughout the country. This includes a wide range of criminal charges. Our experience extends to high-profile civil cases involving constitutional law, particularly in state and federal appellate matters. If you are accused of a crime in Seattle, Washington, we can help you with some of the following criminal cases:

• Mail and wire fraud
• Embezzlement
• Money laundering
• Healthcare fraud
• Drug crimes
• Securities fraud
• Tax evasion
• Public corruption offenses
• Conspiracy
• Assault
• Bribery
• Many other white-collar offenses

These are just a few areas of federal appeals that our senior legal team can assist you with. In many situations, we are able to act effectively on behalf of our clients in their criminal trials. However, if your trial is misjudged or an error is made by the court, the Seattle federal appeal lawyers at Oberheiden P.C. will ensure that you are fully ready for the federal court of appeals.

Our trial counsel works closely with our appellate team to assemble a strong appeals case to protect your rights and your future.

Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Appeals and Oberheiden P.C.

Contact Oberheiden P.C. to Speak to a Seattle Federal Appeals Lawyer Today.

Criminal defendants should not wait to file an appeal. Instead, get proper legal representation as soon as possible. This way you can properly navigate the appellate court and the appeals process. You can contact a Seattle federal appeals attorney at Oberheiden P.C. through our website. We can also be reached at this nationwide number: (888) 680-1745.

Additional Pages for Seattle, Washington

• Seattle federal criminal defense
• Seattle healthcare fraud defense