The Appellate and Research Division is responsible for representing the Commonwealth in all types of appeals from convictions and requests for post-conviction relief that this office chooses to handle rather than deferring to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, which handles most appeals. The Division’s attorneys are responsible for the writing of appellate pleadings and briefs and for oral argument before state and federal appellate courts. This Division is also responsible for aggressively pursuing all manner of extraordinary writs and interlocutory appeals that may be appropriate, and for protecting prosecutors and their files from inappropriate subpoenas. It is the mission of this Division to strongly defend those convictions obtained by this office after a trial or guilty plea.<\/p>\n
Also, the Division’s attorneys oversee all appellate research, especially that conducted by its staff of law clerks. Division staff is available to conduct, or assist in conducting, research projects for staff prosecutors, and to strategize and advise regarding ongoing cases.<\/p>\n