Florida Appellate Law: State and Federal Appeals

Appellate Experience

Mr. Woodring has worked on hundreds of appeals and has substantial appellate experience with high-stakes cases affecting thousands of people and billions of dollars at the highest state and federal levels. He completed a two-year appellate clerkship at the First District Court of Appeal and, while working for the Governor’s Legal Office, spent years helping interview and select the best judges for Florida’s trial and appellate courts. He has argued cases in the Florida Supreme Court and Florida’s District Courts of Appeal and has briefed cases in the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Woodring is a member of the Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar.

Examples of notable appeals Mr. Woodring has participated in can be found at Woodring Appellate Cases.

Deciding Whether to Appeal

Choosing your appellate counsel and deciding whether to appeal or defend an appeal are crucial decisions. Most appeals do not succeed, so you need to quickly assess if your case, with strong appellate counsel, can be successfully appealed or defended. For more information, see “Should I Appeal?”

We will always discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your appeal or defense, the potential costs involved, and whether you can recover attorney fees if you win your appeal. Sometimes, statutes or contracts—such as section 120.595(5), Florida Statutes, for certain administrative appeals—allow recovery of appellate attorney fees.

Appeal Deadlines and Preserving Issues for Appeal

Timelines for appeals are often short, so do not delay contacting appellate counsel or you could forfeit your right to appeal. In most Florida civil and administrative cases, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of rendition of the order being appealed. Issues and arguments must be preserved at the trial level to be considered on appeal. Preparing for an appeal can begin well before the trial concludes. We welcome the chance to help preserve appellate issues early, whether as co-counsel or in a consulting capacity. That includes post-trial motions, which have short deadlines of their own.

Types of Appeals We Handle

The Woodring Law Firm handles appeals involving significant issues of state or federal constitutional law. We also undertake many other types of appeals, including:

• Appeals from administrative hearings at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH)
• Civil rights and discrimination cases
• Workers’ compensation claims
• Business and civil disputes
• Contract and procurement cases
• Ballot summary and title disputes and citizens’ initiatives
• Public records (chapter 119) and Government in the Sunshine cases
• Licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary cases
• Education appeals
• Appeals from agencies such as the Public Employees Relations Commission, the Florida Elections Commission, and the Florida Commission on Ethics
• Appeals of non-final orders
• Petitions for extraordinary writs, such as certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus
• Amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs

We do not handle criminal appeals. Most civil appeals are within our scope, but we do not take family law, SSDI, unemployment, or immigration appeals.

Who We Represent on Appeal

We serve individuals, non-profit organizations, associations, businesses, and government entities on appeal in state and federal courts, from both Florida and nationally. If you are defending an appeal, believe you wrongfully lost at trial or in an administrative hearing, or have important legal issues that need to be preserved for appeal, we want to talk about your case. We also welcome referrals and co-counsel opportunities from trial counsel anywhere in Florida. Call 850-567-8445, email Info@woodringlawfirm.com, or use the contact form on this page.

Common Questions About Florida Appeals

How long do I have to file an appeal in Florida?

In most Florida civil and administrative cases, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of rendition of the order being appealed. Timelines are often short, so contact appellate counsel as soon as possible.

Which courts does Woodring Law Firm handle appeals in?

The Florida Supreme Court, all of Florida’s District Courts of Appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

What types of appeals does the firm not handle?

We do not handle criminal appeals, and we do not take family law, SSDI, unemployment, or immigration appeals. Most other civil appeals are within our scope.

Can I recover attorney fees if I win my appeal?

Sometimes. Statutes or contracts allow recovery of appellate attorney fees in some cases, such as section 120.595(5), Florida Statutes, for certain administrative appeals. We will discuss whether fees may be recoverable in your case.

Does the firm work with trial counsel?

Yes. We welcome referrals and co-counsel opportunities from trial counsel anywhere in Florida, and we can help preserve issues for appeal before the trial concludes, as co-counsel or in a consulting capacity.