After a trial, the losing party often has too much at stake, emotionally or financially, to let the verdict stand unchallenged. Appeal is the next option, but many litigants do not fully understand how different an appeal is from a trial. The following is a discussion of common mistakes that such litigants regularly make.

I have been representing clients in white-collar and other federal criminal appeals for nearly 20 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how many people, laypersons and attorneys alike, are often mystified by this strange process. Why are federal criminal appeals so difficult to understand? Because federal appellate courts are deliberately designed to be cordoned off from criminal defendants, their attorneys, and the public at large. Federal appellate judges and their staffs work behind closed doors, except for the oral arguments that are held every week, month, or several times a year, depending on the court. Why the distance from the public? That's just one of the things I seek to explain in this article: "Federal Criminal Appeals: 10 Things You Should Know."