According to the law, the defendant has a ten-day appeal period against the criminal judgment of first instance. If the appeal period has not expired, whether the defendant needs to appeal or not, the judgment of first instance will not take effect.
According to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law, in criminal cases, the family members of the parties are not allowed to visit or meet the detained parties before the court decision takes effect.
After the verdict is pronounced by the court, if the family members of the parties want to appeal, they can entrust a lawyer to meet the parties in the detention center, convey their opinions on the appeal to the parties and solicit their opinions. If the parties also request an appeal, the entrusted lawyer may form an appeal on his behalf and submit the appeal to the court within the prescribed appeal time limit.
Criminal procedure law
Article 216 The defendant, the private prosecutor and their legal representatives have the right to appeal to the people's court at the next higher level in writing or orally if they refuse to accept the judgment or ruling of first instance of the local people's courts at various levels. Defenders and close relatives of the defendant may appeal with the consent of the defendant.
The parties to an incidental civil action and their legal representatives may appeal to the part of the incidental civil action in the judgment or ruling of first instance of the local people's courts at all levels.
The defendant shall not be deprived of the right to appeal under any pretext.
Article 219 The time limit for an appeal or protest against a judgment is ten days, and that for an appeal or protest against a ruling is five days, counting from the day after the judgment or ruling is received.