Alabama Appellate Lawyer
Alabama Appeals Attorney William L. Pfeifer, Jr.
Winning or losing a trial does not necessarily mean the case is over. Many times people must go through the Alabama appeals process before a court case can be ended. When a case moves into the Alabama appellate court system, it is important to have an experienced appellate lawyer representing you. Alabama appeals lawyer William L. Pfeifer, Jr., has been handling civil, family, and criminal appeals since 1993, and is available to aggressively represent you on your case. He operates a statewide appellate law practice, representing clients in cases being appealed from any county in Alabama.
The practice of law in the appellate courts requires an extensive knowledge of the law as well as strong writing skills. In an appeal from circuit court, the attorney does not get to conduct a new trial in front of the appeals court. Instead, the appeal is based entirely on an analysis of the trial record and the applicable law. Appellate lawyers analyze the court record, research the legal issues, and file written briefs with the appellate court to argue the legal position of their clients. Done properly, preparing an appellate brief is a very time-consuming process requiring hours of research and writing. When choosing an appellate lawyer, it is essential that you select an attorney who is willing to devote a significant amount of time to your case.
An appellate lawyer should also have a well-rounded background of experience, both in the courtroom as well as in legal scholarship. Attorney Bill Pfeifer has many years of litigation experience, which enables him to bring a practical perspective to appellate law practice that only comes from courtroom experience. He also has many years of appellate experience, including having worked for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals as a staff attorney. Appellate lawyers should not argue how a case should have been handled in court unless they have personally stood in the courtroom arguing cases themselves. Likewise, a good trial lawyer is always thinking about how to argue a case to a judge or jury in a way that protects the clients rights in an appeal. Pfeifer has done both, and uses that balance of experience to better advocate for his appellate clients.
In Alabama, all state court appeals are decided by appellate courts located in Montgomery. Depending on the situation, a case could be reviewed by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, or the Alabama Supreme Court. Lawyers writing appellate briefs must follow the Alabama Rules of Appellate Procedure, which are available on this site by clicking here. These rules are applied in Alabama criminal appeals, in family court appeals, and in civil appeals cases. Alabama appellate courts almost always issue their rulings based on the written briefs submitted by the attorneys without ever seeing the lawyers or their clients in court. They do not set a case for oral argument unless it involves the death sentence in a capital murder case or it revolves around some unique or complex legal issue. Thus, it is vitally important that an appellate lawyer have strong legal research skills as well as a dedication to legal writing.
Attorney William L. Pfeifer, Jr., (Bill Pfeifer) has many years of experience as a trial and appellate lawyer, including having served as a staff attorney to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in Montgomery. Although he spent many years as lead counsel in major felonies and other trial court cases, he now focuses his practice primarily on appeals. He operates a statewide appellate law practice, handling cases from all over the State of Alabama. He will give your case the time and attention needed to present a strong argument on your behalf. To discuss your options in appealing your case, call Bill Pfeifer at (800) 737-3702 Extension 1. You can also use the online Contact form on this website to send him an email about your situation.
In addition to writing legal briefs, Pfeifer is also a freelance writer and editor. His articles have been published in professional journals, newsletters, newspapers, and websites, and he is the author of two published books (with a third on the way). He also edits both fiction and nonfiction books for other writers, has served on the board of editors of several legal publications, and provides professional writing services to businesses, political groups, and other organizations. He is a member of the National Writers Union, the Legal Writing Institute, and Scribes – the American Society of Legal Writers.
Pfeifer’s appellate law office accepts clients who need to appeal cases from every circuit court in every county in Alabama, including: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, Dekalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Shelby, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox, and Winston. No matter what Alabama county handled the trial of your case, your appeal will go to the appellate courts in Montgomery.
To discuss whether Bill Pfeifer would be able to assist you with your case, call at (800) 737-3702 Extension 1, or use the online Contact form on this website to send him an email about your case.
Alabama State Bar rules require the following disclaimer in all attorney advertisements: “No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of services provided by other attorneys.”