Essays

No-Merit Briefs Undermine the Adversary Process in Criminal Appeals

Author
  • Randall L. Hodgkinson

Abstract

Appellate defense attorneys face a dilemma when faced with an appeal that has no obvious merit. No-merit briefs allow an attorney to forego an appeal when there is no apparent merit. In cases involving direct appeals from conviction, the cost of abandonment of the client far outweighs the benefits.

Downloads:
Download pdf

126 Views

70 Downloads

Published on
31 Mar 2001