Criminal Appeals Lawyer
Cairns & Queensland
You have been sentenced or convicted and you believe the outcome was wrong. You are thinking about whether it can be challenged — and whether the time limit has already started running. It has. The time limit for most criminal appeals in Queensland is 1 month from the date of sentence or conviction . That deadline is not flexible. If you are considering an appeal, get advice now. Civic Law prepares and runs criminal appeals across Queensland — sentence appeals and conviction appeals, in the District Court and the Court of Appeal. Recent matters include a conviction set aside on appeal with a…
How Civic Law Can Help With Your Appeal
Civic Law offers two ways to engage on a Queensland criminal appeal. Written submissions only. Civic Law prepares the Notice of Appeal, the grounds of appeal, the written outline of argument, and any application for leave or extension of time. The appellant or an existing solicitor on the record runs the oral hearing. This option suits shorter District Court sentence appeals and solicitors who…
Sentence Appeals
A sentence appeal challenges the length or type of sentence imposed — not the conviction itself. If you believe the sentence was excessive, or that significant mitigating factors were not given proper weight, a sentence appeal may be available. Time limit: 1 month from the date of sentence. Do not delay. The court pathway depends on where you were sentenced: Magistrates Court sentence — appeal to…
Conviction Appeals
A conviction appeal challenges the finding of guilt — not the sentence. You are arguing that a legal error occurred, that the verdict was unreasonable on the evidence, or that a miscarriage of justice took place. Conviction appeals are harder to succeed on than sentence appeals. The courts apply a high standard, and the grounds need to be genuine. Sacha will review the transcript carefully and…
The Three Queensland Appellate Tracks
1. District Court appeals under section 222 of the Justices Act 1886 (Qld). This is the appeal route from a decision of a Magistrates Court — for any matter dealt with summarily, including most drink driving, drug, traffic, public order, dishonesty, and assault matters. The Notice of Appeal (Form 27) is filed within one calendar month of the decision. The appeal is by way of rehearing on the…
What an Appeal Is Not
An appeal is not a rehearing of the original matter. It is not an opportunity to call new witnesses, re-run the trial, or present a different version of the facts. The appellate court reviews what happened at the original hearing — the transcript, the rulings, the directions given to the jury, and whether the sentence was within the proper range. This is why identifying the right grounds matters.…
The Written Outline
Queensland criminal appeals are decided at an oral hearing, and the written outline of argument is the document that carries the appeal. Under District Court Practice Direction 7 of 2020, the appellant files an outline of argument within twenty-eight days of the Notice of Appeal. The respondent's outline follows within a further twenty-eight days. The matter is listed for hearing once both…
Where Civic Law Appears
Written submissions are prepared for any Queensland court — District Court appeals from Magistrates Court decisions anywhere in the state, and Court of Appeal matters in Brisbane. Full-brief appearances are accepted state-wide on a case-by-case basis. Initial conferences are run by video. The transcript and reasons are reviewed remotely. Submissions are filed electronically. Clients are accepted…
Record Expungement & Spent Convictions
In certain circumstances, a past criminal conviction may be considered "spent" under Queensland law — or, in the case of historical same-sex offences, eligible for statutory expungement. The Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 (Qld) provides that certain convictions become spent after a rehabilitation period — 10 years for District or Supreme Court convictions, and 5 years for…
Fixed Fees
- Sentence Appeal — Magistrates Court to District Court — $5,500
- Conviction Appeal — $8,500
- Record Expungement & Spent Convictions — $2,200