Arlington Heights Appellate Attorney

Skilled Appellate Lawyer for Civil, Criminal, and Military Appeals in Arlington Heights, Illinois

Once the judge hands down a verdict, you might assume that your case is over. However, this is not always the case. With the help of an Arlington Heights, IL appeals lawyer, you can explore your options to contest the outcome, potentially allowing you the chance to pursue a different result.

At Cosley Law Office, we are prepared to provide you with strong representation in appellate matters. Attorney Donald J. Cosley has over 30 years of experience, which has given him clear insights into criminal law, family law, and other legal issues. Our firm will provide you with personalized attention from start to finish, rather than passing your case off to a paralegal or less experienced attorney.

Handling Appeals for Family Law Matters

Family law cases can affect your finances, your parenting time, and your relationship with your children for years. If a final order was entered in your divorce, custody, child support, maintenance, or property division case, you may have the right to appeal. An appeal does not give you a second trial. Instead, the appellate court reviews the record to decide whether the trial court made a legal mistake.

In many Illinois civil cases, including many family law matters, a notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after the final judgment, or within 30 days after the ruling on certain timely post-judgment motions. This deadline is strict, so it is important to speak with an attorney quickly after receiving an unfavorable order. Family law appeals may involve issues such as:

• Final divorce judgments
• Parenting time or parental responsibility orders
• Child support orders
• Spousal maintenance orders
• Property division rulings
• Orders involving relocation with a child
• Post-decree modification rulings

Representation for Criminal Appeals Throughout Chicagoland

A criminal conviction can affect your freedom, your record, your career, and your future. If you were convicted after trial or received an unfair sentence, an appeal may allow you to challenge legal errors that occurred in your case. Like civil appeals, criminal appeals follow strict procedural rules.

In Illinois criminal cases, a notice of appeal generally must be filed within 30 days after the final judgment, or within 30 days after the order resolving a timely motion directed against that judgment. Grounds for a criminal appeal may include improper admission or exclusion of evidence, incorrect jury instructions, prosecutorial misconduct, constitutional violations, sentencing errors, insufficient evidence, or mistakes involving motions to suppress.

Our firm can help by reviewing transcripts, motions, exhibits, sentencing records, and trial objections. Appellate arguments must be built from the existing record, so attention to detail matters. For defendants throughout Chicagoland, skilled appellate representation can provide a meaningful opportunity to challenge a conviction, sentence, or other serious criminal ruling.

Providing Advocacy and Legal Advice in Military Appeals

Military appeals can involve a different set of rules, procedures, and agencies than civilian appeals. Service members, veterans, and their families may need help challenging court-martial outcomes, administrative decisions, or discharge issues.

Court-martial appeals may involve trial errors, command influence, constitutional concerns, ineffective assistance of counsel, or sentencing issues. Our firm can help organize the record, identify legal arguments, and explain the available path forward.

These cases can carry serious consequences for a person's military record, benefits, reputation, and future opportunities. Since military law has its own procedures and deadlines, it is important to work with an attorney who can review the case carefully and explain what options may still be available.

Contact an Arlington Heights, IL Appellate Lawyer

Appeals move quickly, and a missed deadline can limit your options. If you need help with a family law appeal, criminal appeal, or military appeal, Cosley Law Office can review your case and explain the next steps. Call 847-253-3100 or contact our Arlington Heights, Illinois appellate attorney to schedule a free consultation today.