Law of Criminal Procedure

1.The court of appeals shall schedule a session to consider the petition for appeal or review if it decides to hold a hearing, and shall notify the parties of said session. If the accused is imprisoned or detained, the authority in charge shall bring him to the court of appeals which shall expeditiously decide on the petition for appeal or review. If, after being notified of the session date, the appellant or person requesting the review, who is not imprisoned or detained, fails to attend the session and fails to submit within 15 days thereafter a request for continuation of the action, or fails to attend the second session, the court shall, on its own accord, rule that his right for a petition for appeal or review is forfeited, without prejudice to the provision of Article 199 of this Law. 2.The court of appeals shall consider the petition for appeal or review on the basis of thedocuments included in the case file and the new defense or evidence presented by the parties in support of their appeal. If the court decides to consider the case by means of hearing, it shall, after hearing the parties with respect to the petition for appeal or review, either uphold the judgment or reverse it, in whole or in part, and decide on the reversed part. Chapter 2 Reversal