Appeals Associate Todd James, Trial Support Services for Child Abuse Cases

Important Notes...

	We do not testify.
	We are not an attorneys.
	Our work falls under "Work-Product" for the attorney and is controlled by him or her.

Appeals Associate:

Todd James is the primary person responsible for the appeals unit. Over the past 18 years, he has reviewed hundreds of direct appeals, post-conviction relief petitions, delayed reconsiderations of appeals, and Motions for New Trials Based Upon Newly Discovered Evidence. From those reviews, he has had the unique opportunity to see brilliant legal arguments as well as the inept argument that some briefs contain.

He has worked on selected cases with various attorneys at the appellate level as well as the trial level. With a strong constitutional law background, along with being versed in the various child abuse science/research, he brings a different perspective to analyzing legal issues in relation to child abuse allegations.

Todd believes that a successful appeal encompasses more than just making a good legal argument. It also involves attempting to create a mind-set with the Appellate panel that will hear the oral arguments. Many times, arguments made on collateral issues in the appeal can help frame how the panel will decide the issue or issues that will be determinative.

For example, in one case State v. Geboy (2001), 145 Ohio App.3d 706, the Appellate Court reversed the conviction and remanded for a new trial based upon one (1) of eleven (11) issues that were asserted in the appeals brief. However, the ten (10) issues that were upheld by the Appellate Court were still instrumental in creating the mindset that the defendant was more likely innocent than not and that his trial was fundamentally unfair. Issues that you lose on can and will affect an issue that you can win on.

Additional qualifications:

	B.A. in political science and M.A. in public administration
	Advanced graduate courses in constitutional law and constitutional history
	Former adult probation officer
	Former hearing representative for unemployment board of review cases in Ohio and Michigan
	Operations Manager of the non-profit National Child Abuse Defense & Resource Center for the past twelve years
	Member of school board advisory committee

Due to the enormous amount of hours that are needed for research in appeals cases, we only accept a limited number of cases per year.

If you call for more information, feel free to talk to Kimberly or Todd about the possibilities for assistance.