A DUI conviction can be appealed, if there is reason to believe a legal error was made in the original trial. Appeals are most effective when handled by a lawyer with experience in the appeals process.
Many people think that if you are found guilty of DUI, that’s it—your case is over. In many cases this is true. But legal mistakes can happen, and the American justice system is designed to fix these mistakes if possible. This is why California has an appeals process.
An appeal can, in some cases, result in a conviction being overturned—but the appeals process has highly unpredictable results. If you win on appeal, the most likely result is that you will be given a new trial. You will not simply be found “not guilty,” as that is not what the appeals process is for.
Instead, appeals focus on legal errors or procedural errors in the original case. For example, if it’s found that the officer who testified against you lied, that calls the validity of the original case into question. Or, if you had a defense lawyer in your original case who acted incompetently, that can also be grounds for an appeal. You can find more detailed examples of what counts as an appeal here: Can you appeal a DUI conviction?
The best way to know whether you have grounds for an appeal is to speak to a lawyer who has experience in both DUI law and the appeals process. Regular lawyers almost never work on appeals, and may not have the knowledge to do a good job. Speak to someone with experience.
Have you been convicted of DUI? We can connect you with a Los Angeles DUI lawyer who knows how to handle an appeal. Fill out the form to the right or call (310) 896-2724 and get your FREE consultation today.
