Criminal Appeals and Postconviction Remedies

Tennessee Criminal Appeals Attorneys

If you need advice about the prospects of a more favorable result on appeal of your criminal conviction or sentence in either Tennessee Criminal Court or U.S. District Court, contact an experienced criminal appellate attorney at Hollins, Wagster, Weatherly & Raybin, P.C. in Nashville.

We have always emphasized criminal appeals as an essential aspect of our broader criminal defense client service. There are many things that can go wrong at trial, in the jury room, or at sentencing. With our long experience and deep understanding of both Tennessee and federal criminal law, we can identify specific reversible errors at any stage of the proceedings below, demonstrate persuasively that a particular ruling or decision was contrary to established law, and perhaps most importantly, show that the mistake at trial had a direct and prejudicial effect on your ability to present an effective defense.

Another way of summarizing our approach in criminal appeals is to recognize that while trial representation is mainly about protecting your rights as far as possible at every stage from arrest through sentencing, on appeal we shift the focus away from the defendant's rights to the responsibilities of the prosecution and the trial court. On a direct appeal of a criminal conviction, we aim to show how the government violated its duty to provide you with a fair trial.

Nashville criminal appellate lawyers David L. Raybin, James L. Weatherly, Jr., and Patrick McNally are AV-rated* attorneys who have achieved favorable results for dozens of clients in the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court. Criminal appeals represent an especially important focus of Mr. Raybin's practice. He has written and lectured for professional audiences on advanced criminal appellate techniques for nearly 20 years, and he was twice honored by the Tennessee Bar Association for outstanding legal writing--perhaps the most indispensible skill for any appellate attorney.

Vincent Wyatt and Sarah Richter are also part of the firm's appellate section. Ms. Richter (along with Mr. Raybin) edit the materials highlighting new issues pending in the Tennessee Supreme Court.

As well as direct appeals of criminal convictions and sentencing decisions, we also represent clients on the full range of post-conviction problems and remedies, ranging from probation and parole issues to federal habeas corpus petitions based on ineffective assistance of counsel or other violations of constitutional rights. Additionally, we assist clients with matters such as pardon applications and petitions for the restoration of gun rights. For additional information about our ability to help you on appeal or in other post-conviction proceedings, contact a Tennessee criminal appeals attorney at Hollins, Wagster, Weatherly & Raybin.

* CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Ratings evaluate two categories--legal ability and general ethical standards.