Donna Solomon

What are the Possible Outcomes of an Appeal?

6/1/2021

A civil appeal is not simply another trial in front of a new judge. Instead, when you appeal a civil verdict, your lawyer will need to present a legal argument to a panel of appellate judges. Your lawyer will not be presenting evidence and questioning witnesses, but will make written arguments on specific issues of law. After the appellate court proceedings, the panel reviewing your case will issue a guilty verdict or not guilty and rule in one party’s favor.

The Three Possible Outcomes of Florida Appeals
Appellate courts can either affirm, reverse, modify, or remand the trial court’s order. After the appellate court panel has reviewed all of the legal arguments and briefs, they will issue a decision, doing one of the following:

Affirm the trial court’s decision, in which case the verdict issued by the trial court will stand
Reverse the trial court judge’s decision. In this case, the appellate court may order an entirely new trial
Remand your case to the trial court. Typically, when the appellate court remands the case back to the trial court, the appellate court will determine a new standard under the law and ensure the trial court retries the case or re-holds a sentencing hearing

How the Appeals Process Works
When the court issues a final decision, the losing party has the right to file an appeal. You will not be able to appeal if the court issued a temporary order in most cases. Your appeal must be based on a legal error that the trial court made. In other words, your lawyer will need to demonstrate that the lower court made an error in fact or law to appeal your case successfully. For example, the trial court may have misunderstood or overlooked an important fact. Or, the trial court judge may have misinterpreted existing Florida law or inappropriately used their discretion.

What to Do After Your Appeal is Affirmed
When the appellate court affirms the lower court’s decision, they state that the lower court’s decision was correct and made without error. The appellate court will affirm the lower court’s ruling when the evidence supports the decision. The lower court judge offers an explanation for that decision that is in line with Florida law.

Florida appellate courts will evaluate your case and assess how the lower court came to its final decision. If the appellate court affirms your appeal, your lawyer may need to file a petition for your appeal to be reheard by the appellate court. You will need to file this petition within 30 days of the court’s decision. Needing these filing deadlines is crucial. If you miss a deadline, you could miss your case to appeal the decision. After you file your petition to have your appeal heard, the court will schedule a rehearing. The reasoning may result in modifying the court's decision, but the appellate court will simply clarify the final order in many cases.

What Happens When the Appellate Court Modifies the Decision?
A modification happens when the appellate court makes changes to any part of the trial court's decision. When the appellate court modifies the decision, they have determined that the trial court judge made one or more errors in law or fact. Instead of reversing or amending the trial court's final order, they may change it based on the evidence provided. The changes made by the appellate court can become part of the lower court's decision. The appellate court will typically remand the case back to the lower courts to be reheard with these changes in mind.

What Happens When the Appellate Court Remands the Case?
A remanded appeal means that the appellate court sends your case back to the lower court. The appellate court will remand the case when it finds that the lower court judge made an error related to the facts in your case or the law, as it applies to your case. Errors in procedure, improper rulings, and the exclusion of admissible evidence can result in a lower court's decision being overturned and sent back down to the trial court to take further action.

Keep in mind that the appeal itself does not equate to a new trial. You will not be able to submit new evidence in an attempt to modify or overturn the order issued by the lower court. When your case has been remanded back to the trial court, you have a second opportunity to win your case. A remanded appeal will begin the trial process all over again, and it is essential that you work with an experienced lawyer who will represent your best interests.

Where to File an Appeal in Florida
The appeals process is an entirely different process than the trial court process. Understanding the timeline for filing appeals and the requirement for submitting a notice of appeal is crucial. In most civil cases in Florida, the party who lost at trial can file a notice of appeal and pay a filing fee. Parties have 30 days from the date of the final order to file a notice of appeal.

The rules of civil procedure are complex and can be intimidating. The 30-day deadline to file a notice of appeal comes fast, and if you wait until day 31, you will be too late. You cannot fix a late notice of appeal. Even though courts can sometimes be forgiving, they still can dismiss your appeal before you can even argue the merits of your appeal. Whether you would like to appeal a decision that was not in your favor, or you are an attorney who is unfamiliar with the appeals process, we recommend consulting with an experienced civil appellate lawyer.

Contact a Florida Appellate Lawyer Today
Are you considering appealing the verdict in your case? Handling an appellate case in Florida requires a unique skill set. Attorney Donna Solomon of Solomon Appeals, Mediation & Arbitration is an award-winning appellate lawyer with extensive experience. She also offers consultative services to other Florida attorneys. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.

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