Highly Ranked Cumberland Law School

Cumberland Law School
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An attorney licensed to practice in the state of Alabama, Stewart Springer has for over two decades represented numerous clients in trial cases resulting in favorable verdicts. People who have trusted him to handle their cases include working class citizens, businessmen, policemen, politicians, and judges. Attorney Stewart Springer earned his law degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law.

This law school is recognized nationally for its quality program and its trial advocacy. The US News & World Report’s Best Grad School 2017 publication ranked Cumberland School of Law 14th for trial advocacy. In trial advocacy programs students learn mediation, negotiation, and other skills, present cases before mock juries and judges, and also participate in mock trial competitions.

The school has for years participated in legal skills competitions coordinated by the Center for Advocacy & Clinical Education, and is one of the nation’s most awarded law schools in these regional and national competitions. More than once the top two teams in the region have come from Cumberland School of Law and had to compete against each other for top regional honors.

Among its best performances in 2016 include earning first place in the Southeast Regional, National Trial Competition, organized by Stetson University College of Law, and reaching the Elite Eight in the National Finals in the National Trial Competition, cosponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers.

The Princeton Review has also previously ranked the school 9th for Best Quality of Life and 9th for Best Professors.

A Brief Overview of the Appeals Process

Appeals Process
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An accomplished attorney, Stewart Springer has spent over two decades fighting for victims’ rights. Practicing through his own legal firm, he handles a wide range of cases, including personal injury and workers’ compensation. Stewart Springer is also an experienced appellate attorney who has handled numerous appeals over the years.

In most cases, plaintiffs have the option to appeal the results of their trials. While criminal cases only allow for verdict appeals to come from defendants, others, such as civil cases, grant the option to both parties. Starting the appeals process involves a party initiating an appeal to a higher court than the one in which the original decision was made. The appellate court reviews the previous trial to determine whether or not an error in judicial process was made and, if it finds one, will allow the appeal to continue. It’s important to remember the appellate court only reviews judicial processes; it does not re-inspect the evidence.

Depending on the specific appeals process, lawyers for both parties will either orally argue their sides before a panel of judges or submit written briefs to the court. In oral presentations, each side receives about 15 minutes to make its case before the judges decide whether or not the original decision was fair. An appeals court decision is usually the final word in a case. Certain courts, however, may request that the case be sent back to trial or that the US Supreme Court review it.