Federal Appeals in Death Row Cases

A man convicted by a jury in 2008 for a murder that occurred in Texas and was sentenced to death recently asked the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to spare of his life, but the man was denied. During the man’s most recent effort to be placed off of death row, he argued that prosecutors failed to hand in evidence from a 2015 lawsuit. The Fifth Circuit ruled that the prosecution did not have any constitutional duty to inform the man’s counsel about evidence that only came into existence years after the conviction was made. A previous appeal by Rodriguez made it to the United States Supreme Court.

It is important to understand that people who are sentenced to death row often spend years awaiting their death sentence. This waiting period is often divided into two periods. The first period is spent pursuing appeals. The second period occurs after all appellate methods have been exhausted and a person waits for the death sentence. Because the appellate process for people on death row is frequently complicated, it is critical that a person obtains the assistance of a seasoned criminal defense attorney throughout this process.

These cases are frequently complex and last a long period of time as legal counsel must pursue all available avenues. After all, the result of not obtaining a successful appeal will be someone’s death. A large number of death row appeals are also delayed due to funding issues associated with the federal system.

The Route of Federal Criminal Appeals

The death penalty is rarely used in the federal system. People who have been convicted to death row in federal court have the right to appeal to the intermediate appellate court, which includes the circuit courts. If a person loses an appeal at this level, he or she can attempt to appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The United States Supreme Court, however, receives numerous appeals from the 13 circuit courts as well as the 50 state courts, which means that the Supreme Court does not hear every appeal. As a result, a person on death row might be denied an appeal made to the Supreme Court.

An appeal of a federal death row case will often stall out at the circuit court level. In these situations, legal counsel will be required to prepare a complicated brief, which requires a great deal of experience and legal talent. To obtain assistance in navigating these issues, a person should make sure to obtain the assistance of the most seasoned appellate attorney.

Obtain the Services of a Strong Criminal Defense Attorney

The appellate process for people on death row is often a complicated process that requires the assistance of knowledgeable and seasoned legal counsel. Fortunately, a large number of people on death row are able to achieve some type of victory through pursuing appeals. To increase your chances of obtaining a positive result with an appeal, you should not hesitate to contact the Federal Criminal Law Center. From start to finish, our legal counsel will remain committed to obtaining the best possible results in your case.