FAQ
The criminal justice process can be scary and confusing. You need a lawyer who understands the process and what you are facing, as well as one who will provide you with great customer service. While it isn't possible to address every question you may have, these materials will hopefully provide answers to some common questions. If you have further questions, please use the contact form to receive further help or set up an appointment.
Why should I hire Conviction Solutions for my criminal appeal?
While there's no shortage of lawyers in Nevada, very few focus their practice on post-conviction and appellate issues. If you are looking for assistance dealing with a criminal conviction, consider asking yourself or potential attorneys the following?
How much of your practice is dedicated to criminal law?
Conviction Solutions focuses on the areas of post-conviction, criminal appeals and criminal defense. The post-conviction area of law is incredibly complex, with numerous technicalities that must be satisfied and precise deadlines that must be strictly adhered to. It would be challenging for a law firm to stay current with these constantly changing requirements while practicing in multiple unrelated areas of the law. In addition to our extensive experience handling these types of cases, we also have access to an extensive library of information that simply is not available to attorneys who have no government experience handling federal post-conviction cases.
How many post-conviction cases have you handled?
At Conviction Solutions, our experience includes handling 10,000 + hours of post-conviction matters, often "start to finish." This includes handling nearly a hundred federal habeas cases (i.e. cases governed by 28 U.S.C. 2254) and nearly as many state court post-conviction cases as well. The interplay between federal habeas practice and state post-conviction work is critical to the success of your claims, and most private attorneys fail to grasp this critical concept. The rules governing post-conviction work in state or federal court are complex and invariably favor the State every step of the way. You are going to want an attorney who understands these pitfalls and can help avoid them. This will ensure your claims receive a fair hearing in court and maximize your chances of success.
How much time do you have to challenge a conviction in Nevada?
The time you have to challenge a conviction using any of the available methods is very limited. In general, direct appeals are supposed to be filed within thirty days. State post-conviction petitions are generally due within a year of the conviction date or the date the direct appeal is decided. Federal habeas petitions are generally due a year after that. As a matter of best practices, it is preferred to act within these deadlines. However, the list of exceptions to these rules could fill their own webpage. There are countless federal cases that deal with extending the date a federal habeas petition is due and litigation in that area is ongoing (and likely will be for decades to come). If you are considering litigation in this area, you need an attorney who understands these concepts in full - because the State can and will assert that your claims are untimely if any opportunity to do so exists.
What about handling criminal defense or trial work?
Conviction Solutions is also available in limited cases to assist with pending criminal charges. To be sure, there are many qualified criminal defense attorneys in Southern Nevada and any one of them could help with a routine case. However, Mr. Resch was the former head of the Public Integrity Unit at the Nevada Office of the Attorney General and has extensive experience handling public employee and misconduct cases. In addition, Mr. Resch has handled complicated fraud cases involving areas such as securities fraud, elder exploitation, identity theft, and all nature of cases involving theft or fraudulent acts. While many lawyers may like to handle so-called "white collar" crime, Mr. Resch has over ten years of experience handling precisely those type of cases. The eye of a former prosecutor can be invaluable in critically examining these complicated type of cases and identifying weaknesses that may exist.
In addition, you want someone on your side who understands the bigger picture of what is at stake. For example, if you are a participant in Nevada PERS, and are convicted of certain felonies, you could potentially lose your right to retirement benefits. Also, if you are a law enforcement or other professional, you could potentially lose your certifications upon conviction. You are going to want an attorney who cares about all of the issues you may be facing and who will listen to your concerns while providing competent and compassionate advice.
If you are facing criminal charges in these types of cases, a free consultation with Conviction Solutions would be a smart decision!
How much is this going to cost?
Conviction Solutions generally utilizes flat fee agreements, in which you would pay one set fee for an agreed upon scope of work. If you have read the materials on this site, you probably have gathered there is a lot of work involved in preparing a criminal appeal of any kind. You should therefore understand, this type of work can be costly. A direct appeal or post-conviction brief might start at several thousand dollars for an extremely small case, and could readily exceed $10,000 for a several day trial or case with a lengthy record. It is impossible to give an exact fee without reviewing the particulars of each individual case but this may provide at least some idea as to the possible cost. You have the right to know that this type of work can be costly, but with a flat fee agreement there would not be any surprise extras - any work that needed to be done would be done at the agreed upon price.
Flat fee agreements are also available for criminal defense matters, but the costs of handling a defense case would vary greatly depending on the charges involved and other factors. Please contact Conviction Solutions to set up a free consultation if you want to discuss these services!
While there's no shortage of lawyers in Nevada, very few focus their practice on post-conviction and appellate issues. If you are looking for assistance dealing with a criminal conviction, consider asking yourself or potential attorneys the following?
How much of your practice is dedicated to criminal law?
Conviction Solutions focuses on the areas of post-conviction, criminal appeals and criminal defense. The post-conviction area of law is incredibly complex, with numerous technicalities that must be satisfied and precise deadlines that must be strictly adhered to. It would be challenging for a law firm to stay current with these constantly changing requirements while practicing in multiple unrelated areas of the law. In addition to our extensive experience handling these types of cases, we also have access to an extensive library of information that simply is not available to attorneys who have no government experience handling federal post-conviction cases.
How many post-conviction cases have you handled?
At Conviction Solutions, our experience includes handling 10,000 + hours of post-conviction matters, often "start to finish." This includes handling nearly a hundred federal habeas cases (i.e. cases governed by 28 U.S.C. 2254) and nearly as many state court post-conviction cases as well. The interplay between federal habeas practice and state post-conviction work is critical to the success of your claims, and most private attorneys fail to grasp this critical concept. The rules governing post-conviction work in state or federal court are complex and invariably favor the State every step of the way. You are going to want an attorney who understands these pitfalls and can help avoid them. This will ensure your claims receive a fair hearing in court and maximize your chances of success.
How much time do you have to challenge a conviction in Nevada?
The time you have to challenge a conviction using any of the available methods is very limited. In general, direct appeals are supposed to be filed within thirty days. State post-conviction petitions are generally due within a year of the conviction date or the date the direct appeal is decided. Federal habeas petitions are generally due a year after that. As a matter of best practices, it is preferred to act within these deadlines. However, the list of exceptions to these rules could fill their own webpage. There are countless federal cases that deal with extending the date a federal habeas petition is due and litigation in that area is ongoing (and likely will be for decades to come). If you are considering litigation in this area, you need an attorney who understands these concepts in full - because the State can and will assert that your claims are untimely if any opportunity to do so exists.
What about handling criminal defense or trial work?
Conviction Solutions is also available in limited cases to assist with pending criminal charges. To be sure, there are many qualified criminal defense attorneys in Southern Nevada and any one of them could help with a routine case. However, Mr. Resch was the former head of the Public Integrity Unit at the Nevada Office of the Attorney General and has extensive experience handling public employee and misconduct cases. In addition, Mr. Resch has handled complicated fraud cases involving areas such as securities fraud, elder exploitation, identity theft, and all nature of cases involving theft or fraudulent acts. While many lawyers may like to handle so-called "white collar" crime, Mr. Resch has over ten years of experience handling precisely those type of cases. The eye of a former prosecutor can be invaluable in critically examining these complicated type of cases and identifying weaknesses that may exist.
In addition, you want someone on your side who understands the bigger picture of what is at stake. For example, if you are a participant in Nevada PERS, and are convicted of certain felonies, you could potentially lose your right to retirement benefits. Also, if you are a law enforcement or other professional, you could potentially lose your certifications upon conviction. You are going to want an attorney who cares about all of the issues you may be facing and who will listen to your concerns while providing competent and compassionate advice.
If you are facing criminal charges in these types of cases, a free consultation with Conviction Solutions would be a smart decision!
How much is this going to cost?
Conviction Solutions generally utilizes flat fee agreements, in which you would pay one set fee for an agreed upon scope of work. If you have read the materials on this site, you probably have gathered there is a lot of work involved in preparing a criminal appeal of any kind. You should therefore understand, this type of work can be costly. A direct appeal or post-conviction brief might start at several thousand dollars for an extremely small case, and could readily exceed $10,000 for a several day trial or case with a lengthy record. It is impossible to give an exact fee without reviewing the particulars of each individual case but this may provide at least some idea as to the possible cost. You have the right to know that this type of work can be costly, but with a flat fee agreement there would not be any surprise extras - any work that needed to be done would be done at the agreed upon price.
Flat fee agreements are also available for criminal defense matters, but the costs of handling a defense case would vary greatly depending on the charges involved and other factors. Please contact Conviction Solutions to set up a free consultation if you want to discuss these services!
Call 702-483-7360
Disclaimer - This web site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to convey legal advice. No attorney-client privilege is created by your use of this website. Submission of any information via this website by you does not create an attorney-client relationship and must not be considered confidential. Please do not submit confidential information via email or this website. Any statement of past results does not guarantee, warrant, or predict future cases. All rights reserved. Resch Law, PLLC d/b/a Conviction Solutions - a Nevada law firm.