Federal Sentencing and Post-Conviction Law Firm
Supreme Court Practice
After the Court of Appeals has affirmed a defendant's conviction and sentence, there is one step left in the direct review process – review by the Supreme Court of the United States. Most criminal defendants never have their cases decided by the Supreme Court because unlike the Courts of Appeals, the Supreme Court does not hear every case brought to it. Obtaining review by the Supreme Court is a two-step process. The first step is to convince the Supreme Court to hear the case. That is done by filing what is known as a petition for writ of certiorari. This is commonly called a “cert petition.” A cert petition is very different from a brief. Unlike a brief, a cert petition does not argue the merits of the issues (why the opinion of the Court of Appeals should be reversed), but only why the Supreme Court should take the case. There are basically two reasons why the Supreme Court decides to take particular cases. One is where a case presents a particularly important a constitutional issue. The other is where the Courts of Appeals have come down differently on the issue presented in the case. It is only after the Supreme Court grants a cert petition that the parties file briefs on the merits and the Supreme Court decides the case.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Alan Ellis have the experience and skill necessary to advise defendants whether their case presents issues worth taking to the Supreme Court. Because the law firm limits its practice to representing federal criminal defendants in plea negotiations, sentencing representation and consultation, Rule 35, prison designation, transfers, disciplinary matters and other problems, direct criminal appeals, Section 2255 motions, habeas corpus petitions and other post conviction remedies, Supreme Court practice, parole representation, and international prisoner treaty transfer work for foreign inmates and Americans arrested abroad, it also has the experience and the resources necessary not only to file cert petitions, but also to brief and argue cases before the Supreme Court.
For more information about filing a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court, please contact the Law Offices of Alan Ellis.
With offices in San Francisco, California (Mill Valley), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Ardmore), and soon in China, the Law Offices of Alan Ellis provides a full range of sentencing and post- conviction services to lawyers and defendants throughout the United States and internationally, including California (such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Sacramento), New York (such as New York City), Florida (such as Miami, Tampa, and Orlando), Texas (such as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio), Illinois (such as Chicago), Pennsylvania (such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), Ohio (such as Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati), Michigan (such as Detroit and Grand Rapids), Georgia (such as Atlanta and Savannah), and North Carolina (such as Charlotte and Raleigh). Regardless of your location, we are available to help you. Indeed, we have practiced in federal courts in 47 of the 50 states. We are available to assist you and your attorney in obtaining the lowest possible sentence, and if it's one of incarceration, to be served at the best place possible under terms and conditions that will you to be released from custody at the earliest possible opportunity.
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