How Much Does a Federal Appeal Lawyer Cost?

How Much Does a Federal Appeal Lawyer Cost?

Appealing a federal criminal conviction can be an expensive process, but it may be necessary to overturn an unfair outcome. Costs vary widely depending on the complexity of the case, but generally range from $10,000 to $30,000 or more. I’ll break down the major expenses involved so you understand what goes into the appeals process.

Filing Fees

To start the appeals process, you’ll need to pay a filing fee to the district court that handled your initial case. This runs around $500.

Attorneys’ Fees

The biggest expense is attorneys’ fees. Appellate work tends to cost more per hour than trial attorneys because it is highly specialized and research-intensive. Your lawyer must thoroughly analyze the case record, research relevant statutes and precedents, and craft persuasive legal arguments – all very time-consuming tasks[1].

Expect fees ranging from a few thousand dollars for simple appeals up to $100,000+ for complex cases involving extensive research and court filings. Factors like your lawyer’s experience level and whether oral arguments are scheduled also impact costs.

Other Expenses

On top of attorneys’ fees, you may need to pay for:

• Transcripts from lower court proceedings
• Copying, printing, and binding costs for legal briefs and appendices (capped at $0.15 per page)
• Travel and accommodations if oral arguments are scheduled out of town
• Miscellaneous administrative fees and expenses

Individually these costs seem small, but added together they can amount to over $1,000 depending on the case[1].

Recovering Costs

The good news is you may be able to recover appeal costs if you win. However, this depends on the specifics of your case and is not guaranteed. For example, some appeals lawyers cite the Equal Access to Justice Act allowing fee reimbursement if the government’s position was not “substantially justified[5].”

Is the Investment Worth It?

Appealing a conviction takes time, effort and money without any guarantee of success. However, if there were real issues in your initial trial – like insufficient evidence, procedural errors,, ineffective counsel or faulty jury instructions – the appeal may well be worth pursuing to overturn an unfair outcome.

The potential consequences of letting a conviction stand are usually far more severe than appeal costs. And even in challenging cases, skilled federal appeals lawyers win acquittals in 30-40% of cases[1]. So if you have strong grounds for an appeal, the investment is likely worthwhile despite the expenses involved.

Sources:

1. https://federal-lawyer.com/criminal-law/federal-appeals/cost/
2. https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/clerk/case_filing/fee_schedule.html
3. https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/AppellateProcedureGuide/Decision_Post-Decision/APG-costsandattorneyfees.html
4. https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-procedure/appeals-appellate-courts-and-costs.html
5. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/94-970.html