An adjunct of trial work is the appellate review of convictions from the trial courts by the Court of Appeals in Fort Worth and the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin.
Duties
The Appellate Division attorneys review each conviction that is appealed by reading the trial transcript and statement of facts and the defendant’s brief on the legal issues raised in the trial. The Appellate Division:
Maintains the specific time deadlines that are required
Presents oral argument to the appellate courts
Researches the applicable law
Writes appellate briefs that respond to the defendant’s brief
These attorneys also respond to post conviction writs that are filed by defendants as an additional avenue of appeal in seeking to have a conviction overturned. The Division also serves as a resource to the trial attorneys for advice and research on legal issues that may come up in evaluating and trying a case.
