As early as January 1978, when Joseph B. Cheshire V established a law firm with John Hill Parker, he had already gained relief for a client from the North Carolina Supreme Court in the case of State v. McKoy, 294 N.C. 134, 240 S.E.2d 383 (1978). Since then, and continuing into the present, Mr. Cheshire and his partners in the criminal law section, John Keating Wiles and Brad Bannon, have maintained an active practice in appellate advocacy before the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Consistent with the firm’s practice in trial representation, their practice of appellate advocacy is dedicated to the protection of their clients’ constitutional liberties and the legal rules that are necessary for a fair trial, respect for the peculiarities encountered in every individual case, and a dedication to guide each client through the sometimes intricate and confusing process involved in appeals seeking relief from criminal convictions or sentences or both.