2885 Main Street
Stratford, CT 06614
203.378.9595

Appellate Law

Not every decision in court goes your way, initially. Judges, like everyone else, sometimes make mistakes. When this happens, a party to a lawsuit, who does not agree with the court’s decision, can take an appeal to a higher court, in Connecticut, the initial appeal is the Appellate Court.

Appellate courts review decisions of lower courts to determine if the decisions made by the judge comports with the law as set forth in the statutes, regulations and in previous decisions of appellate courts.

Appeals require strict compliance with time periods set forth in rules, as well as the researching and writing of briefs and oral argument to the court. If you are considering an appeal of a decision that you disagree with, it is important to know that, in most cases in Connecticut, the appeal must be filed within twenty days of the issuance of the final decision, for some matters the time period is even shorter. It is important to have an attorney who can understand the issues that were raised before the court, who can provide advice as to the value of the appeal and most importantly, the likelihood of success and who can do it in a relatively short period of time.

An appeal does not entitle you to a new trial and new evidence cannot be submitted as part of the process. Once the appeal is filed, a schedule is developed by the court which is determined by the time periods set forth in the rules. In most cases, the first Appellant’s (the party bringing the appeal) brief is due 45 days after the first preargument conference. The Appellee’s (the party against whom the appeal is brought) brief is then usually due thirty days after the filing of the Appellant’s brief. Once the briefs have been submitted, the Court will schedule oral arguments, and the attorneys will present their case to a panel of judges. At this point, the parties wait for the court to issue its decision. This process can be lengthy and a bit unsettling for the client.

Appellate courts are the courts that truly interpret and define our laws. The judges on these court have great influence on our society and our lives, While not every case is a “ground breaking” or a case of great historic importance, it is very important to the parties involved, and  It is important to have an advocate who is comfortable standing before these judges and who will strongly advocate your position and get them to understand the importance of this case to you.

I am well prepared to work with you on your appeal, and to provide you with honest advice as to the likelihood of success and to provide you with the information you need to make this important decision. Once you make the decision to move forward with an appeal, I will work closely with you to develop the arguments that will be persuasive. Contact me today to schedule a consultation.



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2885 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06614
| Phone: 203.378.9595

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