Should a litigant have grounds for appeal, there is strict procedure to begin the appellate process. It is important to stress that the following steps are all time-sensitive in nature:
1. The grounds for appeal must have been preserved in the record. This means that a litigant or their attorney must request a copy of the record taken during trial and ensure that the proper objections were made during the trial to “preserve” it for appeal.
2. A notice of appeal must be filed within thirty days after the date of entry or when the divorce decree or order was filed with the court. This notice of appeal lets the court know that a litigant will be filing an appeal.
3. A brief will then be filed in a timely manner which actually lays out the legal reasoning and arguments for the appeal. This will also include the trial transcript discussed above as well as any other evidence or supporting documents.