Appealing a Conviction in Clearwater and St. Petersburg

Going into the process it is important to have this mindset - an appeal is NOT a new trial or an opportunity to change the outcome of a trial SIMPLY because you do not agree with it.  What your Pinellas County attorney is doing is appealing a ruling that a judge and/or attorney have misapplied the law OR another person has acted improperly in the initial trial.

Remember that appellate judges DO NOT hear new testimony or evidence.  They are empowered to consider the court record of the original trial.  Most appeals are decided solely upon the written briefs.  To frame a proper defense in the appellate process you need to find an attorney who has significant trial-level experience dealing with highly complex legal issues.  Remember, this is your LAST court of resort.

You may be interested in appealing a criminal or family law verdict.  At that moment it is time to consult Clearwater and St. Petersburg appellate law firm Kidder & Bennett at (727) 821-8000.  Nat Kidder and William Bennett have a combined half-century of defending criminal and family law cases.  Make an appointment today to visit them at their office located at 275 - 96th. Ave. North St. Petersburg, FL.

Crime in the St. Petersburg Florida Area.

How do the crime rates in the St. Pete metro compare with the rest of the Sunshine State?  The most recent annual statistics showed that there were 6297 crimes committed per 100,000 people in our area as compared to 3576 per 100,000 statewide.  That is a significantly higher rate than many others experience in the state of Florida.

Murder, rape, robbery, assault and other violent crimes tended to trend higher in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.  When it comes to property crimes, St. Petersburg, FL is shown to be 71% higher than the Florida average and 95% higher than the national average.  This also means that the police are on higher alert to arrest someone for a suspected criminal act in our area.

It is important to get aggressive representation from a St. Petersburg criminal attorney.  If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime anywhere in Pinellas County immediately call the team at Kidder and Bennett.  Each of the attorneys has more than a quarter century of defending people who are accused of all types of crime.  Call them today at (727) 821-8000.