Criminal Law Appeals

If you’ve received a guilty verdict, you may wish to overturn the conviction or reduce the length or severity of your sentence. The legal process for this is a criminal law appeal.

Appeals are a specialist area of criminal law. Strict time limits apply for appeals in Queensland. If you wish to appeal a criminal conviction or sentence, seek legal advice as soon as possible.

You’re in expert hands

Our partners, Julia Jasper and Rebecca Fogerty, both have proven track records with criminal law appeal matters in Queensland District and Supreme Courts and the High Court of Australia. We have appeared in criminal law appeals against convictions and sentences across a range of charges, including murder, rape, indecent treatment of a child, fraud, trafficking in dangerous drugs, importation offences and violent crimes.

Appeals often involve legal concepts and consideration about how laws should be interpreted. If you engage us for your criminal law appeal, we’ll expertly advise you on your prospects of success and remain closely involved in all aspects of the appeal process. We work only with leading barristers and other experts. We'll provide you with easily digestible information to empower you every step of the way.

We are rightly proud of the fact that we are widely recognised for our leading appellate practice. We have had many successful appeals against conviction where the Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction at first instance and ordered a new trial. Some of our successful recent appeals are:

• R v EQ [2021] QCA 257 - appeal against sentence for charges including stalking, making a bomb hoax and breach of a domestic violence order. The sentence was overturned on appeal and a lesser sentence imposed.
• R v MDO [2023] QCA 2 - appeal against conviction for charges including maintaining a sexual relationship, indecent treatment and rape. Convictions were overturned on all counts and a re-trial ordered.
• R v Spencer [2020] QCA 256 - appeal against conviction on a charge of murder. Conviction overturned and a new trial ordered.
• R v Burley [2022] QCA 251 - appeal against convictions for rape charges. Convictions overturned on the basis of fresh evidence and a new trial ordered.