From Opening Statement to Final Appeal
Commercial litigation is not fully resolved when a verdict is returned or a judgment entered. Trials can be won or lost at the appellate level, and the record built at trial often determines what is available on appeal. SilverCain provides seasoned representation at both the trial and appellate levels, with the same attorneys carrying the case through both stages when appropriate.
Leon Silver has tried numerous complex jury cases in Arizona state and federal courts and has argued successfully before the Arizona Supreme Court. His trial record — and the strategy that comes from having built and defended that record over 35 years — informs every case we handle.
Trial Services
Appellate Services
Why Trial Experience Matters on Appeal
Appellate advocacy is most effective when counsel understands how trial courts work, what errors are likely to be preserved, and what a record needs to contain to support an appellate argument. Attorneys who have tried cases bring a different perspective to appellate work — and clients benefit from that continuity between trial and appeal.
Contact SilverCain
Phone: +1-602-726-1244| Email: info@silvercain.com | 3101 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1410, Phoenix, AZ 85012
An appeal makes sense when there is a preserved legal error that affected the outcome — an erroneous evidentiary ruling, an incorrect jury instruction, a legal error in a dispositive motion ruling, or a constitutional issue. Appeals are not opportunities to relitigate the facts; Arizona appellate courts defer to the trial court's factual findings. A careful review of the trial record by experienced appellate counsel is the first step in evaluating whether an appeal is likely to succeed.
In Arizona civil cases, a notice of appeal must generally be filed within 30 days after entry of the judgment. Certain post-trial motions can extend this deadline if filed timely. Missing the appeal deadline is fatal to the appeal — courts have very limited ability to extend it. If you are considering an appeal, contact counsel immediately after a judgment is entered.
Yes. We handle appellate matters for clients whose trial was conducted by other counsel. We review the trial record, identify preserved appellate issues, and develop the appellate strategy. In some cases, the most significant appellate issues arise from decisions made during trial, so a thorough record review is the starting point for any appeal we take on.
Arizona Court of Appeals cases typically take one to two years from notice of appeal to decision. Arizona Supreme Court cases, which involve a discretionary petition for review, can add additional time if review is granted. Federal circuit court appeals typically take a similar timeframe. Appeals from arbitration awards proceed on a different and often faster timeline.
When appropriate, yes. Continuity of counsel from trial through appeal has advantages — the trial attorneys understand the record, the decisions made during trial, and the strategic context in ways that new appellate counsel would need to reconstruct. We assess whether continuity or fresh appellate eyes serve the client better in each case.
