Criminal Appeals

In addition to its full service white collar criminal defense practice, Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph handles a wide range of criminal appellate matters. Joseph A. DiRuzzo, III of Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph is one of only sixty lawyers in the State of Florida to be certified by the Florid Bar Board of Legal Specialization as an expert in the field of Criminal Appellate Litigation, meaning that he has met the Florida Bar’s rigorous certification qualifications and has undergone peer review for competence and professionalism in Criminal Appellate Law.

A Unique Area of Practice and Specialized Support for Trial Counsel

Our criminal appellate practice supports the criminal trial practice of our firm and the trial practices of criminal defense attorneys outside of our firm.

Our criminal appeals lawyers boast a well-rounded understanding of constitutional law, criminal procedure, appellate procedure, rules of evidence, and sentencing guidelines, and the firm’s understanding of these critical issues reveals itself in high quality legal briefs, oral arguments, and excellent results in high stakes cases.

Our criminal appeals attorneys have provided trial counsel with support in a wide range of criminal cases including criminal tax, bankruptcy fraud, securities fraud, bribery, and money laundering, and routinely confront complex cases involving Fourth Amendment violations, Title III wiretaps, criminal forfeiture and restitution, U.S. Sentencing Guideline errors, collateral attacks, and writs of habeas corpus.

In addition to Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph’s own work as trial counsel in complex white collar criminal cases, our expertise in litigating appeals of criminal convictions allows us to provide valuable support to trial counsel from other firms as well.  Our team of skilled criminal appeals lawyers assists trial counsel, researching complex issues for presentation to the trial court ensuring that every appealable issue is properly preserved for appellate review.  We work with trial counsel in drafting:

1)      motions to dismiss,

2)      motions to suppress,

3)      motions in limine,

4)      motions for judgment of acquittal,

5)      jury instructions, voir dire questions, and

6)      motions for new trial.

We also work with trial counsel to ensure the prosecution does not improperly use race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other impermissible criteria that violate the client’s right to equal protection under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments (e.g. Batson challenges and reverse Batson challenges). In the heat of battle it is easy for trial counsel to be overwhelmed and overlook critical issues to preserve for appeal.  We buttress trial counsel to ensure the client is provided with effective assistance of counsel.

If you or a loved one have been convicted and are seeking counsel for representation in an upcoming appeal, or if you (or trial counsel) would like for us to assist in trial level litigation, you can contact us for a free consultation at contact@fidjlaw.com or 305.350.5690.

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