Why the clock matters so much
In New York and in federal court, an appeal begins with a notice of appeal filed within a short, fixed period after the judgment or sentence, and the full written argument comes much later. The notice itself is a simple document, but filing it on time is what preserves the right to a direct appeal. New York courts have a narrow way to accept a late notice in limited circumstances, such as when a lawyer failed to file one the client had asked for, but that route has its own time limit and is not something to count on. Federal deadlines are generally even shorter. Other states set their own periods, so a conviction elsewhere needs to be checked under that state's rules.
If the case ended with a guilty plea
Many people assume a plea ends any chance to appeal. That is not quite right, although a plea does narrow what can be raised, and many plea agreements include a written waiver of the right to appeal. Some issues can survive a waiver, and whether a particular waiver is valid can itself be questioned. Because these questions take time to sort out, the safer practice is usually to file the notice first and decide later how far to take the appeal. Gather the plea and sentencing paperwork, the certificate of conviction or judgment, and the names of the court and the lawyer who handled the case.
Other routes when the window has passed
A direct appeal is generally limited to what appears in the trial record. Problems that live outside the record, such as newly discovered evidence or inaccurate advice about immigration consequences, are often raised through a separate motion asking the trial court to vacate the judgment. Those motions follow different rules and are not a substitute for a timely notice of appeal. In an initial call we confirm the sentencing date, check whether a notice was filed, and identify which court has the case now. If time is running, the notice comes first and the rest of the review follows.
