What happens if I lose my appeal?

Once the appellate court has decided, you may ask for a rehearing. However, this motion is almost never granted. You also have the right to file a Petition for Discretionary Review with the Court of Criminal Appeals, asking it to hear your case.

If you lose at the Court of Criminal Appeals, the next step may be to file a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court. However, these petitions are granted in extremely rare cases. The U.S. Supreme Court typically restricts its docket to cases that involve unsettled areas of law, conflicting opinions from various federal courts, or issues with wide-ranging implications for constitutional rights. An experienced Texas criminal appeal lawyer can help explain the options available to you in your case.