Running a company involves many difficult decisions that will have a direct impact on the business’s success. Many of these include decisions about your goods and services or staffing. Legal issues can also be challenging for owners and managers, particularly when litigation goes against the business. It can be a blow to your company’s bottom line or affect its health in other ways. The owner or manager may wish to appeal the decision, and they may have that option. But does it make sense to do it?
Common grounds for appeals
Judges will grant the right to appeal, but the business can do just because it didn’t like the judge’s decision. Appeals allowed to move forward feature strong evidence about why the appeal is necessary. Common grounds include:
- The judge didn’t allow an attorney to introduce evidence or let the other side introduce evidence that informed the initial ruling.
- The judge’s decision was not supported by the evidence presented.
- The court made an error, such as allowing evidence it shouldn’t have or misinterpreting a legal precedent cited in the ruling.
Weighing your options
An attorney with experience handling business litigation can provide guidance on the likelihood of the appeal’s success based on what happened at the trial. It may or may not make sense. There is undoubtedly the principle of the matter and getting vindication, but this must be tempered by the cost of the appeal and the additional time needed to mount it, both of which can further cut into profit margins.