What is Post-Conviction Relief? Who is eligible?

Post-Conviction Relief is a process whereby people try to get their conviction overturned even though they have lost their appeal. If someone is convicted in court, whether by a guilty plea or by a trial, and they appeal their case to a higher court and the appeal is denied, their last course or one of the last resources that they have is Post-Conviction Relief. It’s a form, an application that can be filled out – you can do it with or without a lawyer.

To do it successfully, you’re going to need a skillful lawyer to help you with that. And what you have to show is that you were not treated fairly, that the level of representation fell below any acceptable standard of representation, and the failure of receiving quality representation hanged, or most likely changed, the outcome of your case so that, if you had been properly represented, you would not in all likelihood have been convicted.