One of the first questions (if not the primary question) that I am asked about appeals is about the cost involved. And very often I respond by saying that appeals, as with other things in law, are very expensive. The expense does not derive from filing fees, transcript fees, or any other fees, but the preparation needed to skillfully pursue the appeal. A lawyer, no matter how smart he is, must master the case and that takes a lot of time. Below are some quotes from some famous lawyers about the advocates’ need to prepare his case: [P]roper preparation is the be all and end all of trial success. Louis Nizer, My Life in Court 10 (1963). The better prepared a lawyer is, the…