A felony is a type of crime that is more serious than a misdemeanor, and a felony conviction can carry stiff fines, jail time and loss of reputation. These are serious consequences that can affect employment, family standing and many other facets of your life. If you believe that you have grounds to appeal a conviction, it might be wise to pursue that avenue of the court system.
Here are a couple of times when you might consider appealing a felony conviction in Colorado.
If the judge made an error
Judges are professionals who know the law, but they are also humans who can make mistakes just like anyone else. For example, one type of error occurs when a judge applies an incorrect rule during a felony trial. Irregularities can also happen during a trial and may be grounds for an appeal of a felony conviction.
There is new evidence
Although detectives do everything that they can to gather all evidence before a case goes to trial, sometimes it is inevitable that new evidence comes to light that could change the outcome of a conviction. For instance, someone else might confess to the crime, or someone might discover new DNA evidence at the crime scene in question. If there is something that could prove that you did not commit the crime, that could be a good reason for an appeal.
After a felony conviction, knowing the grounds for a possible appeal can help ensure that you know your options and that the legal system treats you fairly.