Appellate

Geiszler Steele, PC works hard to win your case at trial.

Sometimes, those cases are appealed. Effective appellate advocacy requires a unique skill set and knowledge about the appellate process. Dave has that skill set and has won several cases on appeal at the Montana Supreme Court.

Appellate work begins while the case is still at the trial court. At Geiszler Steele, PC, we strive to formulate a winning strategy that will have the best chance of being upheld on appeal.  Conversely, sometimes District Courts make mistakes. Our strategy also includes formulating a strategy to preserve appealable issues which we believe the District Court may have incorrectly decided.

Dave believes that success on appeal is achieved by directly and succinctly explaining why our client's case is important and why our interpretation of the law is correct. On occasion, we work with cases in which we did not participate at the trial court level. When possible, we coordinate with the attorneys who developed the case at trial to achieve the best possible chance of success on appeal.

  • Drafting dispositive motions at the trial court level to simplify or minimize appealable issues, or even obtain dismissal before trial.
  • Advise clients about preserving appealable issues at trial error so that our clients have the best chance of reversing adverse decisions on appeal.
  • Drafting jury instructions that are written and supported to withstand appeal;
  • Advise clients on whether to appeal an adverse decision;