Appellate Law Offices of William J. Kopeny Civil & Criminal Writs & Appeals

Appellate Practice: Civil and Criminal Appeals in California and Federal Courts

California Criminal and Civil Appeals • Federal Criminal Appeals • Constitutional Appeals

At the Appellate Law Offices of William J. Kopeny, we handle California and federal civil, criminal, and constitutional writs and appeals. I am a specialist in appellate law certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Although most of my cases are referred by other lawyers, I do accept select cases directly from clients who need to prosecute or defend a criminal, family law or civil appeal. 

Contact my office to learn more about my appellate law practice. I accept appeals in:

• State and Federal Criminal Appeals: I defend people who have been unjustly convicted of a crime or whose sentences are excessive. I have a great deal of knowledge about the California and federal sentencing guidelines and constitutional sentencing issues, and I have argued before the California Supreme Court and federal courts in sentencing cases.
• Civil Appeals: I handle appeals of personal injury, contract, business, family law, and many other types of civil appeals and writs.
• First Amendment:  I will represent reporters and news organizations in cases involving free speech, freedom of the press, and related issues such as source confidentiality. I also represent those who believe their rights to free speech, assembly, religious expression, or freedom from government establishment of religion have been violated, appealing their claims in California or federal courts.
• Ethics and Licensure Hearings and Sanction Appeals: I have represented judges, members of boards of supervisors, and other judicial or licensed professionals who are facing ethics charges, professional character or fitness barriers to licensure, or accusations of malfeasance, or are facing professional sanctions. Should an attorney lose before the board of professional responsibility, I will represent him or her in the appeal to a review panel or in other processes. I have been consulted as an expert witness on questions of legal ethics, and my work has resulted in published opinions involving the disqualification of lawyers from particular cases.
• Attorney Sanctions, Legal Malpractice, and Contempt of Court: I represent lawyers who wish to obtain review of a sanction or a contempt citation. In addition, I handle appeals of both civil and criminal legal malpractice cases.
• Petitions and Writs: I do a great deal of writ work, including extraordinary writ proceedings petitioning federal circuit or state appellate courts for immediate interlocutory remedies in both civil and criminal cases. My work in this area has resulted in a number of published opinions, including:
  • Korea Data Systems Co. v. Superior Court (1997) 51 Cal.App.4th 1513
    Extraordinary writ granted to invalidate a trial court finding that the attorney-client privilege was waived as to several million documents due to discovery response inadequacies.
  • Steiner v. Superior Court (1996) 50 Cal.App.4th 1771, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 668
    Writ granted to end civil prosecution of Orange County supervisor by the district attorney resulting from county bankruptcy.
  • Powell v. Superior Court (1991) 232 Cal.App.3d 785, 283 Cal.Rptr. 777
    Writ in the State "Rodney King" case reversing the trial court's order denying the four defendants' motion to change venue.  Venue was transferred to Simi Valley, resulting in acquittal and partial mistrial, setting the stage for the federal prosecution.
  • In re Robinson (1990) 216 Cal.App.3d 1510, 265 Cal.Rptr. 57
    My client had pled not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to a state hospital. When his commitment was extended beyond his maximum six-year criminal sentence, he alleged that he did not understand that his plea could mean indefinite commitment—perhaps for life. The Superior Court denied relief. The order Court of Appeal issued a writ overturning the order, and my client was discharged by the Superior Court.
  • Keith R. v. Superior Court (2009) 174 Cal.App.4th 1047, 96 Cal.Rptr.3d 298  My client (father) was denied custody to his 3 year old daughter and mother was granted a moveaway order to another state.  The Court of Appeal issued a premptory writ invalidaitng the order, granting him a new trial, and allowing him to disqualify the judge who made the order.              

There are several types of cases I will not take:

• Trial-level litigation in state court
• Death penalty cases
• Post-conviction petitions
• Trial-level legal malpractice (I only handle appeals of these cases)

I invite you to learn more about my qualifications and why clients chose to work with me. Contact my office to schedule a consultation to review your case.

8001 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 400
Irvine, CA 92618-2956
Telephone 949.754.2944 • Fax 949.754.2912
Map and Directions

From his office in Irvine, California, state and federal appellate attorney William J. Kopeny represents clients throughout the State of California in appeals of state cases, and across the nation in federal appeals.