"Experience, when experience counts."
Criminal Appeals Attorney Serving Bartow, Lakeland, and Central Florida
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Lakeland Criminal Appeals Lawyer - Criminal Law
Experienced Criminal Defense attorney providing Criminal Appeals Legal Services in Bartow, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Haines City, Polk County, and the greater Central Florida area.
Call 863-354-0508 today to schedule a Free Consultation with Criminal Appeals lawyer, Robert A. Norgard.
A Record Of Success In Criminal Appeals
A guilty verdict or a harsh sentence at the trial court level is devastating, but it is not necessarily the final word in your case. The American justice system provides an essential path for review through the appellate courts. However, a criminal appeal is fundamentally different from a trial. An appeal is not a retrial, you do not present new evidence, and juries do not hear your case.
Instead, a criminal appeal is a highly complex, technical battle focused strictly on points of law and procedural errors. To succeed, you must demonstrate to a panel of appellate judges that legal errors occurred during your trial that directly compromised your constitutional right to a fair day in court.
Because the legal threshold to overturn a conviction or secure a new trial is exceptionally high, the counsel you choose to draft your briefs and present oral arguments is critical. At the Law Office of Robert A. Norgard, located in Bartow, Florida, we provide meticulous, high-caliber appellate representation for clients throughout Bartow, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Haines City, Polk County, and the greater Central Florida region.
Board-Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar since 1995
Appellate advocacy demands an entirely different skill set than trial work. It requires an exhaustive, painstaking audit of thousands of pages of trial transcripts, an acute eye for subtle judicial missteps, and the ability to author compelling, sophisticated legal briefs that command the attention of appellate judges.
The Professional Advantage: Attorney Robert A. Norgard brings more than 40 years of dedicated criminal defense experience to your appellate team. He has been Board-Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar since 1995
Fewer than 1% of Florida lawyers achieve board certification, a distinction identifying Mr. Norgard as an absolute specialist in criminal law. Having successfully managed well over 200 criminal jury trials, he knows exactly where trials break down, how judges err in evidentiary rulings, and how prosecutors cross legal lines. This extensive courtroom background allows him to bring a vital, sharp, and fresh perspective to your trial record, transforming complex trial errors into powerful appellate arguments.
Our Expierence in Criminal Appeals
Our firm represents individuals in both state and federal appellate courts, carefully navigating the strict procedural framework established under the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure and federal guidelines. We aggressively pursue remedies for a wide range of legal errors, including:
- Abuse of Judicial Discretion: Challenging instances where the trial judge made incorrect rulings regarding the admission or exclusion of critical evidence, expert witness testimonies, or prior bad acts (Williams Rule evidence).
- Flawed Jury Instructions: Appealing cases where the trial court provided confusing, inaccurate, or incomplete legal instructions to the jury before deliberations, directly impacting the verdict.
- Sufficiency of the Evidence: Arguing that the prosecution failed to meet the statutory burden of proof required to legally support a conviction, meaning the verdict contradicts the evidence presented.
- Prosecutorial Misconduct: Identifying instances where the state advanced improper arguments during closing statements, withheld exculpatory evidence, or violated your constitutional rights to a fair trial.
- Sentencing Errors: Challenging sentences that violate Florida Statutes, miscalculate points on the Criminal Punishment Code (CPC) scoresheet, or constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
If you intend to fight a conviction or sentence on appeal, you must act immediately. In the State of Florida, the timeline to initiate an appeal is uncompromising. Under standard rules, a Notice of Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the rendition of the final judgment or sentence.
Missing this strict 30-day window by even a single day will result in the automatic dismissal of your appeal, permanently waiving your right to direct appellate review. Our firm stands ready to step in immediately following a verdict to preserve your filing timelines and protect your future options.
An appeal cannot succeed unless the trial attorney properly raises objections and preserves the legal errors for review during the trial itself. The Law Office of Robert A. Norgard regularly collaborates with fellow defense lawyers throughout Florida.
We welcome inquiries from trial counsel during active litigation to provide strategic guidance on preserving the record. By proactively anticipating appellate issues during the trial phase, we can ensure that if a client must mount an appeal, their legal arguments are fully preserved and postured for success before the appellate court.
Do not lose hope after a conviction, and do not let critical legal deadlines slip away. If you or a family member needs an experienced, analytical advocate to review a trial record and fight for a reversal or a new trial in Bartow, Lakeland, Winter Haven, or anywhere in Florida, we are here to help.
Contact the Law Office of Robert A. Norgard today to schedule your free, in-depth appellate consultation.
Call 863-354-0508 today to schedule your Free Consultation with Lakeland Criminal Appeals attorney, Robert A. Norgard.
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