If you are serving a sentence as a result of a violation of your constitutional rights during the trial process, you may be entitled to post conviction relief. Pennsylvania provides this remedy under the Post -Conviction Relief Act (“PCRA”). A PCRA appeal is a little different than a direct appeal and a petition must generally be filed within one year of your sentence.

The grounds for a PCRA include:

• Constitutional violations that undermined the truth-determining process
• Ineffective assistance of counsel
• Newly discovered evidence
• An unlawfully induced guilty plea
• Obstruction of appeal rights by the government

You may be entitled to relief such as a new trial or a new sentencing hearing.