Aurora, IL Appeals Attorneys

Experienced Appellate Lawyers Serving Clients in Naperville and Northern Illinois

When you lose a case in the trial court, taking an appeal is often your only legal recourse. When you win in the trial court, you may have to defend an appeal taken by the losing party. Either way, convincing an appellate court to overturn or sustain a lower court ruling requires skilled and experienced lawyers who are respected by the appellate judges hearing your case.

At Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C., we excel at advocacy in the appellate courts as well as advocacy in the trial courts. We have an active appellate practice and extensive experience at all levels of the Illinois state and federal court system. Our lawyers possess the unique combination of written and oral communication skills required for effective appellate advocacy.

Some of our attorneys worked for appellate judges as law clerks or research attorneys where they learned first-hand what it takes to win at the appellate level. Whether you are prosecuting an appeal or defending one, let us put our skill and experience to work for you. If we accept your case, you will have at your disposal an exceptionally talented and experienced team of appellate lawyers.

The Illinois Appellate Process

The appellate process is different from the trial process. An appeal centers on what happened in the trial court. No new evidence can be offered and no new witnesses can be called. The process starts with reviewing the lower court proceedings to determine if prejudicial error occurred and if appeal is an appropriate investment of time and money. If the decision is to move forward, the next steps involve assembling the record, identifying potential errors, researching the law and writing a persuasive brief.

The brief must convincingly explain why the decision of the lower court should be reversed or sustained. Depending on the issues, the appellate court may grant oral arguments so that the issues can be debated in more detail. If the decision of the appellate court is not satisfactory, it may be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court in state cases or to the United States Supreme Court in federal cases.

Appellate advocacy requires a different set of skills from trial advocacy. Many trial lawyers do not possess appellate skills or are not interested in appellate advocacy. The lawyers at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. are unique. They not only possess both sets of skills, but they are equally passionate about both levels of advocacy. Whether you want to take an appeal or defend one, we can help. Contact Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. today at 630-907-0909 to discuss your case. From our offices in Aurora, Illinois, we represent clients seeking appeals throughout Northern Illinois.