Practice Area
Appeals & Post-Conviction
Statewide appellate representation before the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Missouri, won on the record and the law.
Overview
An appeal is a different kind of fight.
Appeals aren’t retrials. They are won on the written record and careful legal argument, by finding the errors that changed the outcome and showing why the law requires relief. That work calls for a different discipline than trial, and we focus on it.
Appellate deadlines are short and strict, sometimes only a matter of days after judgment. If you or someone you love is thinking about an appeal, don’t wait: missing a filing deadline can cost the right to appeal entirely. Call us as soon as possible so we can protect your options.
What we handle
Appellate & post-conviction work
Direct Appeals
Direct appeals of criminal convictions and sentences to the Missouri Court of Appeals and, where the issues warrant, the Supreme Court of Missouri, built around the trial record and the errors preserved in it.
Post-Conviction Relief
Missouri post-conviction motions under Rule 29.15 (after a trial) and Rule 24.035 (after a guilty plea), including claims such as ineffective assistance of counsel that fall outside a direct appeal.
Federal Appeals & Habeas
Appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which covers Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and federal habeas corpus relief, including 28 U.S.C. §2255 motions in federal cases and §2254 petitions challenging a state conviction in federal court.
Appellate Co-Counsel
For trial lawyers who want appellate help: we can take the appeal or post-trial briefing while you stay focused on your docket. Your client remains your client.
How we handle an appeal
The record is everything
Master the record
We read the entire trial record closely, every transcript, ruling, and exhibit, because on appeal, the record is the case. What was preserved, and how, decides what is possible.
Frame the strongest issues
Not every error is worth raising. We identify the issues most likely to move a court and build each one on the facts of your record and the governing law.
Brief and argue
We write clear, persuasive briefs and present oral argument, the craft of appellate advocacy, where precision and credibility carry the day.
Talk to us about your appeal
Deadlines move fast. Let’s talk today.
If you’re considering an appeal or post-conviction relief, reach out. You can reach us by phone 24/7.
Attorney advertising. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Contacting Vindex Law, PC does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case.
© 2026 Vindex Law, PC · 235 East High Street, Suite 102, Jefferson City, MO 65101