A conviction for a criminal offense does not have to mean the end of your pursuit of justice, especially if you believe that the court erred in your conviction or sentence. You have the right to challenge your conviction with the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, but before you do you should make sure that you have legitimate grounds for the possible modification or reversal of your sentence. An experienced appellate attorney can advise you as to whether you should pursue an appeal and guide you through the appropriate procedures.

Grounds for Appealing a Criminal Conviction in Wisconsin

While there are certain exceptions, the court of appeals will usually only review your case if you file a notice of intent to pursue post-conviction relief no later than 20 days after your sentencing hearing. Specifically, you may have grounds to appeal due to:

• Improper selection of the jury. You may pursue an appeal if you believe the court failed to remove jurors who had a conflict of interest or exhibited bias against you, or that a juror was improperly influenced during the trial.
• Admission of illegally obtained evidence. The inclusion in your trial of evidence obtained through unlawful search and seizure, such as evidence collected without a warrant or probable cause, can also be grounds for appeal. This may be applicable in many types of cases, including those involving illegal possession of drugs, weapons, or stolen property.
• Inadequate defense representation. If you believe that your defense attorney in your initial trial was delinquent in their duty to represent you, you can pursue an appeal on the grounds that your Sixth Amendment right to an attorney was not fulfilled.

If the Wisconsin Court of Appeals determines upon review that there is evidence of errors in the circuit court proceedings, they may rule to overturn your conviction, modify your sentence, or order a new trial.

The highest court in the state, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, will soon get a new justice following the April 2 election. The election is for the seat currently held by Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

Justice Abrahamson decided not to run for re-election. After the primaries, two judges emerged as the candidates in the general election: Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn and Appeals Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer. The winning candidate will clinch a 10-year term on the high court.

The Composition of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

While the Wisconsin Supreme Court is not political, some justices are considered conservative and some are considered liberal by court watchers. This election could change the makeup of the court, which would have far-reaching consequences.

Every year business owners go through the ritual of opening up their notices from their municipality or an assessor to see how much the municipality is charging for property taxes that year. Of course, that ritual often ends with a groan and perhaps a feeling that for whatever reason this is not right. What can you do to make it right?

Call Your Assessor

By: Kathryn A. Keppel

Do you think your civil case is appropriate for a civil appeal. Here are five things to think about before you file in the State of Wisconsin.

1. Not every order is appealable - You cannot appeal until there is a "final" order or judgment in your case. To be final, an order or judgment must dispose of the entire matter in litigation between you and the opposing parties.