Comprehensive Appellate Practice

In Pennsylvania, there are three basic kinds of appeals in our courts (as opposed to federal): summary appeals, appeals to the Pennsylvania Superior Court (or Commonwealth Court), and the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

If you have been charged with a summary offense in Pennsylvania and no other offense (e.g., misdemeanor or felony) is charged along with it, then you will be entitled to a summary trial at the local Magisterial District Court. The most frequent example of this kind of trial is for a traffic ticket. Should you not achieve the result that you desire at that level, you do have the ability to appeal it to the Court of Common Pleas.

At the Court of Common Pleas your matter will be heard anew – de novo, as we attorneys call it. You will have a chance at discussing the matter with a representative from the District Attorney’s office and see if a deal can be reached, or if it should be tried again. Sometimes, you need to appeal the matter to avail yourself to some diversionary programs.

Appeals from the Court of Common Pleas to the Pennsylvania Superior or Commonwealth Court, or from the Superior or Commonwealth Court to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court – are major legal endeavors. It will depend on the nature of the case (e.g., family law, criminal law etc.) and the stage of the proceeding. It is exceedingly difficult to summarize these proceedings because each proceeding is truly unique, and you will need representation that is custom tailored to you and your case.

If you are in a situation where you want to appeal a summary matter from a Magisterial District Court to the Court of Common Pleas, or if you want to discuss appealing another matter, contact our office to set up a time for a free consultation to discuss options to achieve better outcomes.

Related Blog Posts

Modifying a child support order

In Pennsylvania, the consequences of not paying court-ordered child support may be quite serious. In the most severe cases, if you fail to pay, you may face jail time. You may also have your driver’s license or your passport suspended.. As such, it is vital to keep...

View Post

Considerations for infant visitation

Establishing a visitation schedule for children is generally easier as they get older, provided that the parents can agree. It’s a bit more difficult when the child is an infant because there are other considerations at play. The schedule must be in the best interest...

View Post

How can parents alleviate the back-to-school transition post-divorce?

Going back to school amidst the uncertainty that comes with divorce presents a difficult challenge for children who might already be overwhelmed with the transition of new classes, teachers, schedules, friends, activities, and routines. In preparation for the...

View Post

For more information and helpful tips on child custody, visit our blog.

arrow btn