If you have been convicted of a crime in Pennsylvania, you must be aware of your post-conviction rights, understand your options, and know the deadlines to preserve your rights to challenge the conviction. Post-conviction relief via direct appeal or collateral attack can result in the following: a case being dismissed, a conviction being vacated, a sentence being vacated or reduced, a new trial being granted, and/or restoration of other rights.

You must request that bail is continued pending the appeal.

The court has discretion to permit bail to continue pending an appeal. A court is more likely to permit bail pending an appeal following a trial resulting in a non-violent conviction or when special circumstances are present. 

You must understand all the consequences of the conviction. 

First, you must be sure you fully understand all the consequences of the conviction. As I am sure you are aware, there are life-altering consequences associated with a criminal conviction besides the obvious concern of incarceration. If you have any doubt about the way a conviction may impact your life, you must immediately contact your lawyer and demand to discuss the matter in detail. 

You must preserve your post-conviction rights. 

If you have just been convicted of a crime, you should clearly express to your lawyer, ideally in writing, your desire to preserve your post-conviction rights. While you are under no obligation to leave a paper trail of your requests to challenge a conviction, it is an excellent way to protect yourself and preserve your rights.