Criminal Postconviction & Appellate Representation
Practice
Trial-level and appellate or postconviction representation in cases involving allegations of possession, distribution, or production of child sexual abuse material; internet crimes against children, and cases at the intersection of technology and the Fourth Amendment.
Representation in direct appeals from criminal convictions in federal courts, addressing trial errors, evidentiary issues, and constitutional violations.
Representation in direct appeals from criminal convictions in Wisconsin state courts, addressing trial errors, evidentiary issues, and constitutional violations.
Specialized representation and consultation in cases involving the anonymous peer-to-peer network Freenet/Hyphanet, with expertise in Fourth Amendment technology issues.
Representation of victims of domestic abuse, stalking, and harassment in injunction proceedings on a case-by-case basis.
Federal court challenges to state court convictions based on constitutional violations that were not properly addressed in state proceedings.
Preparation and argument of petitions to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, seeking review of Court of Appeals decisions in criminal cases.
Post-conviction motions challenging federal convictions based on constitutional violations, ineffective assistance, or jurisdictional issues.
Specialized petitions addressing ineffective assistance of appellate counsel in Wisconsin criminal cases.
Petitions to the United States Supreme Court seeking review of federal appellate court decisions in criminal cases.
Motions seeking reduction or modification of criminal sentences based on new factors or changed circumstances.
Challenges to a conviction filed after an unsuccessful direct appeal or after the timeline for a direct appeal has expired.
Preparation and argument of petitions to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, seeking review of Court of Appeals decisions in criminal cases.
Following a loss in the Court of Appeals, every defendant has the right to petition the Wisconsin Supreme Court for review of the case. Unlike the Court of Appeals, the Wisconsin Supreme Court only takes cases that meet certain criteria for review. A petition for review is a defendant's request for the Supreme Court to accept review of a Court of Appeals decision and outlines how the defendant's case meets the criteria for review.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court accepts fewer than 10% of petitions for review annually. For example, during the 2023-2024 term, 323 petitions for review were filed in criminal cases. Of those, only 4 cases were accepted for review.