THE LAW OFFICE OF
WILLIAM MALLORY KENT
1932 Perry Place
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
904-398-8000 kent@williamkent.com 

HOW OFTEN ARE FEDERAL CRIMINAL APPEALS OR FEDERAL CRIMINAL HABEAS PETITIONS SUCCESSFUL?

Potential clients often ask what are the chances that they will be successful if they appeal their case or if they have already lost their appeal, they pursue a federal habeas petition.  I used to refer potential clients to an interesting Department of Justice statistical study, but the DOJ has removed the study from its webpage and I am no longer able to find it.  However, the Florida Bar recently published an article summarizing statistics for the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and it can be found here http://www.floridabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNJournal01.nsf/8c9f13012b96736985256aa900624829/64e2374ed9060b9985257ae200635805!OpenDocument  It says that only 5% of criminal appeals are reversed on the merits. 

Of course each case is decided on its own merits and statistics are meaningless as to your individual case.

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