Do I have to stay in prison while my appeal is pending?

You are entitled to be released on bond pending your appeal if your sentence was less than 10 years imprisonment. However, for convictions for certain violent offenses, you are not entitled to a bond pending appeal regardless of the sentence. Whether the court agrees to release you on bond while your appeal is pending depends on the seriousness of the crimes involved in your conviction. As you might expect, the more serious the crime, the less likely the court is to permit you to remain free on bond pending your appeal.