Individuals denied a fair trial can sometimes appeal the outcome of their legal proceedings. In scenarios where the court proceedings do not adhere to best practices or there is a questionable application of the law, people may have the option of appealing the outcome of a recent trial.
Some appeals begin with claims that the state misinterpreted statutes or prior judicial precedent. Other times, appeals might begin with concerns about the fairness of the original court proceedings. Those handling legal matters generally need to trust their lawyers to uphold destination jury duty. They also need to trust that those in positions of authority during the trial are as neutral as possible. In some cases, it may be possible to appeal an unfavorable outcome because of a recently discovered conflict of interest.
What is a conflict of interest?
People have many personal experiences and relationships that influence their behavior and even their subconscious decision-making processes. In some cases, pre-existing relationships, prior experiences or even financial investments can influence people involved in legal proceedings.
For example, if the attorney representing an individual has an undisclosed relationship with the other party involved or if a positive outcome for their client could affect the value of their investment holdings, they may struggle to fulfill their fiduciary duty to their clients. Judges could also potentially have conflicts of interest that compromise how neutral they are when overseeing a trial.
Maybe a member of their family was a crime victim years ago. Perhaps someone they have a close friendship with has invested in one of the businesses embroiled in a dispute. A judge’s conflict of interest can undermine the fairness of a trial. They typically have an obligation to acknowledge the conflict of interest and recuse themselves from the case.
Jurors can also face conflicts of interest that prevent them from remaining neutral. Generally speaking, both sides of a legal dispute have an opportunity to ask questions during the jury selection process. If jurors lie or omit information, they could then inappropriately influence the outcome of legal proceedings.
Provided that someone who experienced a negative outcome to a legal matter can show a conflict of interest may have influenced their case, they may potentially have grounds for an appeal. Reviewing the records of the trial and other relevant information with a skilled legal team can help people explore their appeal options. Even after an unfavorable initial outcome, those embroiled in legal controversies may still be able to correct a miscarriage of justice.