Saginaw Criminal Appeals Attorney
Experienced Michigan Appellate Representation for Saginaw County Defendants.
Saginaw has long faced significant challenges with crime and criminal justice, and defendants who pass through the Saginaw County court system are entitled to the same quality of legal representation as defendants anywhere in Michigan. When trial-level errors occur — whether through attorney mistakes, prosecutorial overreach, or improper court rulings — the appellate process exists to correct them. Michigan criminal appeals attorney Michael B. Skinner of Skinner Law Office has spent over 25 years building the expertise and track record to make those corrections happen.
Skinner Law Office serves Saginaw County and all of Michigan. If you or a loved one was convicted of a crime in Saginaw or anywhere in Saginaw County, Attorney Skinner will personally evaluate your case and provide an honest assessment of your appellate options. Call (248) 693-4100 to get started.
The Saginaw County Court System and the Michigan Appeals Process
Felony criminal cases in Saginaw are tried in the Saginaw County Circuit Court at 111 S. Michigan Avenue in Saginaw. After conviction and sentencing, defendants have 42 days to file a claim of appeal as of right with the Michigan Court of Appeals. This deadline is absolute in most circumstances — missing it eliminates access to the most powerful form of appellate review. Applications for delayed appeal and post-conviction motions may remain available, but they operate under different — and more difficult — standards.
Attorney Skinner reviews the complete Saginaw County Circuit Court record, identifies every viable legal error, and constructs a comprehensive appellate brief that presents those errors in the most persuasive way possible for the Michigan Court of Appeals. His 25 years of exclusive appellate focus means he approaches every Saginaw case with the same depth of knowledge and care.
Why Saginaw Defendants and Families Choose Skinner Law Office
Saginaw County defendants and their families contact Skinner Law Office because they need more than a general practice attorney who occasionally handles appeals. They need a specialist whose entire career has been devoted to this discipline. Attorney Skinner's credentials speak directly to that need:
- 25+ years of exclusive Michigan appellate litigation experience
- Magna cum laude graduate of Wayne State University Law School
- Former appellate law clerk at a downtown Detroit appellate firm — 5 years before becoming an attorney
- Recognized by the Detroit Free Press as an expert in Michigan appellate law
- Admitted to all Michigan courts and relevant federal courts
- Direct, personal representation — Attorney Skinner handles every case himself
Grounds for Appeal in Saginaw County Criminal Cases
Attorney Skinner approaches Saginaw County criminal appeals with the same systematic methodology applied to every case: a complete review of the trial record from start to finish. He looks for:
- Ineffective assistance of trial counsel — a particularly important issue in Saginaw cases where resource constraints may have limited the defense
- Prosecutorial misconduct — including improper use of informant testimony, which is frequently central to Saginaw drug and violent crime prosecutions
- Fourth Amendment violations — unlawful searches and seizures by Saginaw Police Department or Saginaw County Sheriff officers
- Evidentiary errors — including the improper admission of gang evidence, prior acts, or inflammatory testimony
- Sentencing guideline errors — incorrect scoring that resulted in a longer sentence than the law requires
- Insufficient evidence — verdicts that rest on unreliable or uncorroborated testimony
- Newly discovered evidence — recanting witnesses, exculpatory forensic evidence, or newly available scientific analysis
Federal Habeas Corpus for Saginaw Defendants
Saginaw County is within the Eastern District of Michigan for federal court purposes. When Saginaw defendants have exhausted state appellate remedies, Attorney Skinner can pursue federal habeas corpus relief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and, if necessary, before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has experience identifying the constitutional claims most likely to succeed under AEDPA's demanding standard.
Contact Skinner Law Office — Criminal Appeals Attorney Serving Saginaw
If you are looking for a criminal appeals attorney in Saginaw or Saginaw County, call Skinner Law Office at (248) 693-4100 or email mskinner@mskinner.com. Attorney Skinner will personally review your case and advise you on your appellate options. The 42-day deadline runs from sentencing — contact the firm today.
