Louisiana Appeals & Appellate Lawyer

Trusted Appeals & Appellate Attorney in Louisiana

Making it more difficult for a police officer to execute his duties is a criminal offense. Interfering with official conduct by any type of law enforcement officer, whether a parole officer, wildlife enforcement officer, or other government official, is called “resisting an officer” in Louisiana and may be charged as a misdemeanor or felony crime in addition to other charges you might be facing if you are the subject of an arrest.

If you face criminal charges that include resisting an officer, you could benefit from the focused attention of an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Eric Johnson of The John D. and Eric G. Johnson Law Firm can skillfully fight the charges so that you can preserve your reputation and future.

Let Us Handle the Appeals Process

Sometimes courts make mistakes. Emotion, rather than the facts of the case, may sway juries. Certain witnesses may have faulty memories concerning what occurred. There can also be an admission of misleading evidence or testimony and unfortunately, false allegations do sometimes lead to wrongful convictions.

A Lawyer Providing Representation Throughout Your Case

Eric Johnson does not give up on your case, and he understands every method for fighting a conviction. He’s willing to negotiate or litigate your case and to appeal it if necessary to gain the ultimate result.

Eric provides representation for you the moment you first consult with him until every possible option is exhausted. He attends all sentencing hearings, motions, and trials. Eric and his staff also prepare all necessary documentation including any post-conviction relief and motions for a new trial, appeals and writ applications, post-conviction relief applications, and federal habeas corpus petitions. He will take all necessary steps in the expungement process to get the conviction removed from your record. If necessary, he will bring your appeal to the Court of Appeals or even the Louisiana Supreme Court.

How to Get a Criminal Conviction Overturned

Post-conviction relief becomes a viable option after a criminal conviction and sentence are made final. The individual must also be in custody or suffering a substantial detriment from the conviction judgment at the time of the application for it to be considered. Contrary to popular belief, post-conviction relief is not achieved by simply raising the same arguments that you did at trial. During this process, you must present legal grounds for relief that include but are not limited to the following:

• Ineffective assistance of counsel
• Prosecutor withheld information favorable to the defense
• The victim or a witness committed perjury at trial
• New evidence was found that may have changed the outcome of the trial

It is the responsibility of your attorney to do everything in his power to help achieve relief. This often includes reviewing public records and calling on experts to analyze factors like mental health, blood splatter, DNA, ballistics, fingerprints, and more. Investigators are also brought on to re-investigate particular aspects of the case that may require further scrutiny.

The appeals process is anything but straightforward, but with the help of a passionate and experienced appellate lawyer, you can rest assured knowing that your attorney is doing everything in his power to get your criminal conviction overturned.

Criminal Trial Errors and Appeals

When appealing a perceived criminal trial error, it’s important to understand the nature of the mistake and the impact it made on your case’s outcome. There are many ways Louisiana’s state and/or county prosecutors and law enforcement can incorrectly approach a case. Sometimes this occurs intentionally, and it is urgent that such instances be fought and brought to the court’s attention. Whether intentional or not, mistakes that occurred during your trial should be brought to light.

Common mistakes that can harm one’s trial outcome are:

• Admission of unlawfully procured evidence from an unwarranted search and seizure
• Admission of questionable, untrustworthy, or irrelevant testimony
• Use of illegal or excessive sentencing
• Allowing other alleged crimes by the defendant to be used as evidence
• Admission of expert testimony based on unreliable science or data
• Improper or incorrect jury instructions
• Permitting the use of forced or false confessions
• Defense counsel not following defendant’s wishes

Any of these mistakes can arise during a Louisiana criminal trial and may result in a wrongful conviction. Fortunately, some of these situations can be addressed and remedied through the appeals process.

Louisiana Criminal Appeals Process

An appeal may avail the following options regarding your conviction depending on the severity of mistakes made:

• Retrial
• Reversal of your conviction
• Having your sentence vacated or modified

To have the best chance at a successful appeal, it’s critical that you hire a Louisiana criminal appeals attorney with experience in this complex area of practice. It is also imperative to pursue your appeal without delay to mitigate any further impacts on your family and future life.

Should I Hire a Lawyer to Appeal a Conviction?

When pursuing an appeal of a conviction, it’s critical that you hire an attorney who will be by your side for the long haul. The appeals process in Louisiana can take some time, and having an experienced attorney who knows methods to help move your case through the process is vital. 

Legal Representation Matters in Appeals Cases

All legal cases should be handled by a professional attorney, even more so when your case is in the appeals process. This is when it’s necessary to have a trained eye go over the finer details of your case. If you hope to have your case overturned, it will be because a skilled appellate attorney found errors in your case that the court system must correct.

Common Reasons for Winning Appeals Cases

Every case is unique, and there are no guarantees. However, it’s important to take note of common reasons that people win their appeals cases. Those reasons include:

• The judge applied the wrong legal standard or law to your case
•  Facts and evidence don’t support the outcome of the case
• Jude abused their power of discretion
• Ineffective counsel
• Issues with evidence

Any of these listed here could mean that your case was handled inappropriately. Your lawyer will be able to go over the details of your case to identify any errors and give advice about if you’re likely to win your case. 

Legal Representation from the Beginning to the End

It’s critical to have an attorney who is present for every step of the appeals process. Eric Johnson does not give up on your case, and he understands every method for fighting a conviction. He’s willing to negotiate or litigate your case and to appeal it if necessary to gain the ultimate result. This is a challenging time in your life, and you must rely on the expertise of a dedicated Louisiana criminal defense attorney that can help you through every step of the process. 

The important thing to do for anyone convicted of a crime is not to lose hope. However, deadlines for appeal are very short and require immediate action. In most instances, filing for an appeal needs to take place within 30 days of the conviction.

Fighting for You When You Need It the Most

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An Attorney Who Understands Louisiana’s Appeals Process

The important thing to do for anyone convicted of a crime is not to lose hope. However, deadlines for an appeal are very short and require immediate action. In most instances, filing for an appeal needs to take place within 30 days of the conviction.

Clients turn to Eric Johnson when considering all of their options following a conviction. He and the entire staff at John D. & Eric G. Johnson Law Firm, LLC promptly review the record as a whole and look for every possible way to make an appeal successful. In more than two decades of criminal defense representation, Eric has learned and used the best strategies for appealing cases. Allow him to put his experience to work for you. Contact Eric today at 318-377-1555 for a free case evaluation.

Contact us today for a Free Consultation

All too often, a charge of resisting an officer is just one in a laundry list of criminal charges. Don’t wait to tackle the charges against you.

Call 318-377-1555 or contact The John D. & Eric G. Johnson Law Firm for a free consultation.