Appeals
What is an Appeal?
An appeal is a request for a higher court to review a court order for errors and to decide if these errors warrant a different outcome. The Appellate Division will have the exact same evidence that the trial court did, and the side taking the appeal is required to show where the errors, explain why they are errors, and argue why these errors affected the court's disposition of the underlying matter.
Can New Information be Submitted in an Appeal?
An appeal is not a new hearing, and no new evidence can be introduced in an appeal. That means that the fundamental approach in an appeal is very different than the approach used at the trial level.
Below are the main areas of practice in appellate litigation with an outline of what it covers.
Call for a Free Phone Consultation or to Schedule a Low Cost Office Consultation
If you have have additional questions, contact our office to learn about your legal options for protecting your rights in any appeal. To get your free phone consultation or to make an appointment, call (631) 864-2600. Serving clients in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester. Rockland, Orange and other surrounding counties are accepted on a case by case basis.
Practice Areas
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Matrimonial and Family Law
- Divorce and Annulments
- Custody and Parenting Time
- Child Support
- Spousal Maintenance
- Equitable Distribution
- Exclusive Occupancy
- Counsel Fee Awards
- Expert Fee Awards
- Pendente Lite Motions
- High Net Worth Divorces
- Matrimonial Agreements
- Matrimonial Appeals
- Modification of Child Support
- Modification of Spousal Maintenance
- Complex Challenges
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Appeals
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Foreclosure Defense
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Probate, Estates and Administration
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Partition Actions
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Constructive Trusts
If you are not happy with the outcome of your case, an appeal is an option.
Appeals must be taken within thirty days of the notice of entry of the judgment or order being appealed. That starts the six month clock running to complete the appeal. Under the new rules which went into effect September 18, 2018, an appeal which is not completed within that six month time frame is automatically dismissed.
If you are defending an appeal, you need an attorney with experience in appellate litigation. Looking for procedural errors in the appeal could get it dismissed.
Beyond procedural defenses is identifying key weaknesses in the framework of the issues on appeal. Shifting the framework from law to discretion gives the defending side a significant advantage when the merits of the appeal are reached.
A cross appeal occurs when both sides seek to appeal a trial court order or judgment. Cross appeals present a very different set of dynamics than when only one side appeals, as the non appealing party normally has the status quo in his or her favor. This framework is absent in cross appeals.
Cross appeals are often warranted, but they fall into a different category than an appeal or a defense of an appeal.
Stay of Enforcement under CPLR 5519
A stay of enforcement is a request to have an order which prevents enforcing the order or judgment being appealed. In some instances this stay may be automatically granted. If an automatic stay of enforcement is not available, then a motion for a discretionary stay of enforcement can be requested by a motion.
Motion Practice in the Appellate Division
It may not be apparent, but motion practice in the Appellate Division is an important part of appellate practice. The two most common motions are motions to enlarge the time to perfect an appeal, and a motion for a discretionary stay under CPLR 5519(c). However, understanding what motions are available and the reasons why they are authorized is an critical to prosecuting or defending an appeal
Practice Areas
-
Matrimonial and Family Law
- Divorce and Annulments
- Custody and Parenting Time
- Child Support
- Spousal Maintenance
- Equitable Distribution
- Exclusive Occupancy
- Counsel Fee Awards
- Expert Fee Awards
- Pendente Lite Motions
- High Net Worth Divorces
- Matrimonial Agreements
- Matrimonial Appeals
- Modification of Child Support
- Modification of Spousal Maintenance
- Complex Challenges
-
Appeals
-
Foreclosure Defense
-
Probate, Estates and Administration
-
Partition Actions
-
Constructive Trusts