Inside Criminal Appeals Advocates: Interview with the Senior Intake Manager

Meet Stephanie Maurice: The First Voice You'll Hear at Criminal Appeals Advocates

When families are navigating the overwhelming world of criminal appeals, Stephanie Maurice is often the first person they speak with. As Senior Intake Manager at Criminal Appeals Advocates, Stephanie guides potential clients and their families through the initial steps of the case review process, helping them understand their options during one of the most challenging times of their lives.

We sat down with Stephanie to learn more about her role, what families can expect when they first reach out, and the advice she offers to people going through this difficult journey.

In this conversation, Stephanie shares:

• What the intake process looks like and how she helps families navigate the process.

• Why a case review is often the first step before committing to an appeal.

• The common questions she hears from inmates and their loved ones.

• How her background helping people through difficult circumstances prepared her for this work.

• Her advice for families on how to navigate the emotional weight of the appeals process.

Whether you're considering reaching out to a criminal appeals attorney or simply want to know what to expect, Stephanie's insights offer a window into the human side of the legal process.

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*Read the full interview below.*

INTERVIEW WITH STEPHANIE MAURICE

January 13, 2026

Interviewer: We have Stephanie Maurice with us. She's an intake manager at Criminal Appeals Advocates. Stephanie, thanks for sitting down for this interview with us.

Stephanie: Thank you for having me.

Interviewer: You're an intake manager. I think you're the senior intake manager. What does that mean?

Stephanie: That means that I walk potential clients or their family members through the case review process, answer any questions they have, try to figure out if their case would be a good fit for our law firm, and then if they want to continue, then I schedule a consultation call with the attorney and just walk them through the intake process.

Interviewer: In your job, I imagine you're dealing with very difficult situations, given that it's criminal appeals post-conviction work. Is that fair to say?

Stephanie: Yes. This is a difficult time for many people in their lives and their family members because it really affects the whole family when someone is incarcerated. So it's good to have empathy and understanding for what they're going through.

Interviewer: Do people sometimes ask you for legal advice on what they should do with their case?

Stephanie: They do, but I just let them know that I'm an intake manager, I'm not an attorney, and I can't give them legal advice. But I suggest to them scheduling a consultation call with the attorney to answer any legal questions that they may have.

Interviewer: I think you mentioned earlier a case review. What is the case review?

Stephanie: A case review is a deep dive into a client's case so that the attorney has the chance to thoroughly review the case and try to figure out what the best next step is for that particular client. There are a lot of confusing laws and rules out there that are difficult to navigate.  When I first started this job I imagined that you basically need a lawyer for an appeal, but it did not occur to me that there are many different types of appeals out there, and an attorney can also help a client or family figure out even which appeals might apply or not apply.

Interviewer: And I'd imagine when people have just lost a case or just been sentenced, they're very eager to start an appeal. In your experience, why have people wanted to do case reviews first instead of just jumping right into an appeal?

Stephanie: I think the case review is beneficial for a couple of different reasons. One is, as I mentioned, so that the attorney can try to figure out what the best next step is to try to get the client the best possible outcome. And the second reason it's helpful is because if a client were to just hire us for an appeal and then if there aren't really any appeal options, they would want to know that before spending lots of money on an appeal. So the case review up front helps the attorney determine if there are any viable options before they spend all of that money.  On top of that, appeals can take a long time so if someone is spending nine months or a year-and-a-half to do an appeal, only to find out at the end that there was a different appeal that had a deadline, and they missed the deadline because they did not have clarity at the beginning, that would be really frustrating.

Interviewer: Have you had circumstances where people might come to you thinking they want one appeal, but after the case review, it's kind of revealed that actually there's a different appeal that is better or that might have a deadline coming up? Does that happen?

Stephanie: Yes. Actually, I believe that does happen. So the case review is beneficial to do up front before we decide what kind of appeal to do. Most people know that an appeal can be done, but its not uncommon for someone to come to us saying "I want to do this appeal" but later it turns out what they wanted was not viable, and there's something else that has a better chance of winning.

Interviewer: When you're talking to people, are you mostly talking to inmates or their family members?

Stephanie: Both. I would say more often than not, I speak to the family members because communication is just easier than to go through the facility. But I do get incoming calls from inmates, too.

Interviewer: And what are some of the questions that people are asking you, inmates or family members, when they're first meeting you?

Stephanie: What the process is like, how long the appeals take on average, just general questions about the appeal process.

Interviewer: And what is your background? Do you have a background talking to people, communicating complex topics? What's your background?

Stephanie: My background is actually in the mortgage industry. I have experience from that field; you know, a lot of times clients that were going through foreclosures are also going through a difficult time in their lives. So that experience, I think, helps with this position. Some of the same skills that were important in that work apply here, like being organized, being proactive, thinking creatively.  My career has spanned a few industries but I've done has a common element, which is helping people who are going through difficult times.

Interviewer: That makes sense. With these difficult times, they're, of course, eager to have a lawyer offer advice to them. But do you have any non-legal advice, you know, on how to deal with these difficult times, the big emotions that come with having a loved one that's been convicted? Do you have any kind of human advice for the people you're speaking with?

Stephanie: Just to, you know, take it one day at a time, not to get overwhelmed with the process. I tell people to, any questions that they may have for the attorneys, to write it down prior to the consultation call and be prepared for that call so they can ask all of their questions at that time. And then just, people have to know that they are not alone in this process.  That's probably one of the biggest changes that I think people feel after they've joined the law firm family, so to speak.  Appeal can be very hard but to no longer be alone, that makes a difference.

Interviewer: Well, Stephanie, thank you so much for being here, for answering these questions. It's been a pleasure to speak with you.

Stephanie: Thank you. You too.