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Appellate Attorneys in St. Louis

The skilled lawyers at Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC have a proven track record both at the trial court level and, when there is need for further review of a decision, in the appellate courts. We handle civil matters in state and federal appellate courts and have experience with appellate cases involving business disputes, insurance coverage (bad faith matters), product liability, construction, catastrophic injury, premises liability and toxic tort claims. We have achieved numerous major successes for our clients in the appellate process.

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Appellate

The skilled lawyers at Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC have a proven track record both at the trial court level and, when there is need for further review of a decision, in the appellate courts. We handle civil matters in state and federal appellate courts and have experience with appellate cases involving business disputes, insurance coverage (bad faith matters), product liability, construction, catastrophic injury, premises liability and toxic tort claims. We have achieved numerous major successes for our clients in the appellate process.

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Appellate Lawyers

Trial Court vs Appellate Court

At a trial in a U.S. District Court, witnesses give testimony, a judge rules on evidentiary issues, and a jury hears the evidence and decides whether or not a defendant is guilty/liable. Appellate courts are fundamentally different from trial courts because they serve very different purposes.

Appellate courts review the procedures and the decisions in the trial court to make sure that the proceedings were fair and that the proper law was applied correctly. Bringing a case to the appellate courts is NOT a retrial or a new trial of the case. There are no new witnesses or new evidence considered and there is no jury.

How Many Appellate Court Judges Are There?

A case on appeal will be heard by multiple judges at once. The size of the panel will vary depending on the court, but it is usually three judges. When appellate judges decide a case, they generally vote to determine which party should win the appeal and the majority of votes will decide the appeal.

How Do Appeals Work?

The trial is oftentimes only the beginning once the judgment is entered. It represents a key moment as it can be the difference between holding the favorable verdict obtained at trial or presenting an opportunity to expose a point of error in an effort to undo an unfavorable outcome.

An appeal is available if the losing side has issues with the trial court proceedings, the law that was applied, or how the law was applied. An appeal focuses on explaining that the trial court made an error and its decision should be reversed.

The petitioner is the side that brings the request asking the appellate court to review its case. The respondent is the side that comes to court to respond to and argue against the petitioner’s case. Before lawyers come to court to argue their appeal, each side submits to the court a written argument called a brief. Briefs can actually be lengthy documents in which lawyers lay out the case for the judges prior to oral arguments in court.

Why You Need an Experienced Appellate Court Attorney

Having an attorney that is experienced in appellate litigation is vital to obtaining a favorable outcome. A well-versed appellate attorney knows how to effectively identify the trial court’s errors and present the right argument to the appeals court.

Our knowledgeable appellate practice team is capable of handling all aspects of an appeal. We are frequently summoned to assist on post-trial motions and appeals as both trial counsel and outside trial counsel. We are skilled at preserving the record, filing various writs, pre-trial motions, and handling all aspects of briefing.

Our appellate attorneys have appeared in both the Missouri and Illinois Appellate Courts and the Missouri and Illinois Supreme Courts. Our lawyers can be entrusted with all aspects of your appeal by providing an efficient, practical, and well-reasoned approach to your appellate matter.

Appellate Attorneys in St. Louis, MO

The St. Louis appellate lawyers at Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC are committed to working hard on your behalf to achieve the most favorable outcomes and bring innovative solutions to your legal issues. Contact us for effective and dedicated representation in appellate matters.

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Why Choose Us?

Quality

The quality of our work comes from years of experience, knowing what works and out-working our opponents to get the job done.

Professionalism

The lawyers of GOT place respect for the courts, the Bar and the legal profession as their highest obligation.

Experience

Together, the founders of GOT have tried nearly 250 jury trials to verdict. With that level of experience comes an entirely different perspective on civil litigation which few other firms can match.

Honors

Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, the gold standard in attorney ratings, as AV rated, their highest ranking for strong legal ability and high ethical standards, along with Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers as top performers in their fields.

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Our Team of Professionals Bring a Fresh Perspective and Proven Discipline to Every Case.