Federal Post-Convictions
Once you have been convicted in federal court, you have essentially four different paths you can take to obtain federal post-conviction relief:
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Federal Direct AppealFederal Direct Appeal
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Habeas CorpusHabeas Corpus
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Compassionate ReleaseCompassionate Release
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ClemencyClemency
If you are in need federal post-conviction representation, fill out our intake form. Questions? Contact us.
Four Paths to Relief
Your first option for challenging your federal conviction is to appeal your decision directly to the circuit court in which your federal district is located.
This is typically an inmate’s second attempt at finding relief after his or her direct appeal has failed.
Compassionate release is generally asked for when you’re not challenging the validity of the conviction but would like the court to consider a lesser punishment due to your medical condition and demonstrated rehabilitation while incarcerated, for example.
Most cases require a handwritten letter to the U.S. President (for Federal Convictions) or your state Governor (State Convictions) to get commute or pardon your sentence.
The information on this site is not legal advice. For legal advice, you would need to consult with an attorney regarding your specific situation. Licensed to Practice in North Carolina and Tennessee. For Federal Cases, Practicing Solely before Federal Courts and Agencies