Appeals
Last updated on May 10, 2021The decision of the judge or jury is final. However, that decision may be appealed.
An appeal is when either the accused person and their defence counsel or the Crown counsel formally request a change to the decision believing an error was made in some important aspect of the trial.
It is possible to appeal the conviction or acquittal, the sentence or both. An appeal takes the case to a higher level of court to decide if there has been a significant error. If the higher court finds that there has been an error, it can either acquit or convict the person or order another trial.
In criminal cases, an appeal has to be filed within 30 days of the sentencing decision.
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A jury is a group of people who decide if an accused person in a criminal trial is guilty or if a claim in a civil trial has been proven. Learn more about jury duty.
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