Michigan Criminal Appeals Attorney — Statewide Service Across All 83 Michigan Counties

Yes, without exception. Skinner Law Office handles criminal appeals originating from every Michigan circuit court — all 83 counties in both the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. Because appellate work is conducted through written briefs and arguments before the Michigan Court of Appeals (which sits in Lansing, Detroit, and Grand Rapids), the geographic location of the original conviction has no effect on the quality of representation Attorney Skinner provides. A defendant convicted in Keweenaw County receives the same depth of appellate expertise as one convicted in Wayne County.

The appellate process is identical regardless of which Michigan county the conviction occurred in. After sentencing in any Michigan circuit court, the defendant has 42 days to file a claim of appeal as of right to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Attorney Skinner requests the complete trial court record from the relevant county circuit court, reviews it thoroughly, prepares an appellate brief, and files it with the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals then reviews the record and issues a decision. The county where the conviction occurred does not affect any step in this process.

Attorney Skinner communicates with clients throughout Michigan — including the U.P. — primarily by phone and written correspondence. He provides thorough updates at each key milestone: when the trial record is received, when the draft brief is prepared, when the brief is filed, and when the court issues its decision. The vast majority of the appellate process involves no in-person contact and is conducted remotely. If an in-person meeting becomes necessary for any reason, arrangements can be discussed individually.

Attorney Skinner is admitted to practice before the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. This breadth of court admission means he can pursue relief for Michigan clients at every level of the state and federal judicial system — regardless of which county or district the original conviction occurred in.

Michigan criminal appeal rights follow the conviction, not the defendant's current location. If you were convicted of a crime in a Michigan circuit court and sentenced under Michigan law, you retain the right to appeal that conviction in Michigan's courts regardless of where you now reside. Attorney Skinner can represent you through the entire Michigan appellate process with all communication conducted remotely. Contact Skinner Law Office to discuss how to proceed when you are located outside of Michigan.

Yes. Skinner Law Office handles appeals from Michigan state courts — all 83 county circuit courts appealed through the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court — as well as appeals from Michigan federal courts. Federal criminal appeals from the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan are heard by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and Attorney Skinner is admitted to and experienced in both. He also handles federal habeas corpus petitions for Michigan state prisoners who have exhausted state remedies.

A claim of appeal as of right — filed within 42 days of sentencing — entitles the defendant to have the Michigan Court of Appeals review the case. The court cannot simply decline to consider it. An application for leave to appeal is discretionary — the court decides whether to grant it. Applications for leave are typically required when the 42-day direct appeal deadline has been missed, or when seeking review in the Michigan Supreme Court (which accepts only a small fraction of applications). Filing a timely claim of appeal as of right is always the strongest position, which is why contacting Skinner Law Office immediately after sentencing is so important.

Michigan's Clean Slate Act, which took effect in stages beginning in 2021, dramatically expanded the number of Michigan residents eligible to have criminal convictions expunged from their records. Many felony convictions — including some that were previously ineligible — can now be set aside after a waiting period following completion of sentence. Skinner Law Office evaluates expungement eligibility for clients throughout Michigan, including in the Upper Peninsula, and can handle the application process and any required hearings regardless of which county the original conviction occurred in.

Michigan tribal courts operate under sovereign tribal authority and have their own appellate systems, which are separate from the Michigan state court system. Attorney Skinner's practice focuses on the Michigan state and federal court systems. However, cases involving tribal jurisdiction questions — including cases where state and tribal court authority overlaps — can present complex appellate issues in state court proceedings, and Attorney Skinner has experience addressing those issues when they arise in Michigan circuit court appeals.

Yes, depending on the procedural history of the case. Post-conviction motions for relief from judgment under Michigan Court Rule 6.500 are available to defendants who have exhausted or waived their direct appeal rights, subject to certain procedural requirements. Federal habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 has a one-year statute of limitations from the date the conviction became final on direct review — but tolling rules and actual innocence exceptions may apply. Expungement may also be available for older convictions depending on the offense and time elapsed. Contact Skinner Law Office to assess which remedies remain open given the specific history of your case.