Appellate Attorney for Indiana and Beyond
Whether you are looking to appeal a judgment that went against you, or are faced with defending a favorable judgment on appeal, there are good reasons to hire an attorney who handles appeals day in, day out.
Appeals have their own complicated set of court rules, and those rules change frequently. The consequences for failing to follow the rules can range from annoying the appellate judges to having your appeal thrown out. An appellate attorney will know just what the rules currently require.
Appeals require many hours of research, analysis and -- especially -- writing. Most trial lawyers prefer face-to-face interaction with parties, witnesses, judges and other trial lawyers to spending hours in the library or on the computer. Trial lawyers are usually juggling quite a few cases at once, which makes it hard to find time for an appeal. An appellate attorney can offer the expertise, the time, and the temperament that appeals require.
A trial lawyer who has worked long and hard for his client may come to view the facts in light of his loyalty to the client. An appellate attorney brings a fresh and objective perspective. An appellate attorney will also be familiar with of the special tactical considerations involved in satisfying the standard of review for your particular appeal.
And if -- because of the appellate rules, the standard of review, or the facts presented to the trial court -- your appeal is unlikely to succeed, an appellate attorney can tell you so.
Who Am I and What Do I Offer?
I am an appellate attorney with 30 years' experience. I graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1980. I primarily practice in the Indiana Court of Appeals and Indiana Supreme Court, but am a member of the bars for the U.S. Seventh Circuit and Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. I am also an inactive member of the California bar. I am located near Bloomington in Monroe County, Indiana -- but handle appeals throughout Indiana. I have also filed amicus (friend of the court) briefs in states including Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
I work on a few appeals at a time, so I can devote enough attention to each. I keep you informed about what's happening and what will happen next. I return phone calls and emails promptly. If you prefer to have your trial lawyer handle your appeal, I can offer my expertise to him or her on an hourly basis, reviewing drafts, or discussing the impact of motions or court orders.
I will handle both civil and criminal appeals, although the bulk of my practice involves civil appeals. Those appeals may involve contracts, torts, family law, real estate disputes, municipal liability, etc. Since writing an amicus brief in the case of Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000), I have also become well acquainted with the constitutional, statutory and public policy issues raised by grandparent visitation disputes.
Examples of My Work
Here are a few of the briefs I've written:
Other Useful Links
Please feel free to contact me by email at kawyle@att.net, or by phone at (812) 333-1384.