Elizabeth Anne Franklin-Best

I am a nationally recognized federal criminal defense and appellate attorney with over 20 years of experience fighting for clients in high-stakes post-conviction matters. Since founding my boutique firm, Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C., in 2019, I have dedicated my practice exclusively to federal criminal appeals and post-conviction relief, representing clients nationwide before various U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

My Approach to Federal Criminal Defense

My firm operates on a simple yet powerful principle: no stone is left unturned. By maintaining an intentionally small caseload, I provide each client with personalized attention and a custom-tailored legal strategy from initial consultation through final resolution. Whether you’re seeking compassionate release, challenging a wrongful conviction through a § 2255 motion, or pursuing early termination of supervised release, you will receive my direct involvement and relentless advocacy.

Experience That Makes a Difference

After earning my J.D. and M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Wyoming, I began my career at the Richland County Public Defender’s Office. I later served at the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, Appellate Division, where I handled death penalty direct appeals and serious felony cases. As a partner at Blume, Franklin-Best & Young, LLC from 2012 to 2019, I focused on capital post-conviction and federal habeas proceedings.

The South Carolina Public Defender Association honored me as the 2010 “Public Defender of the Year” for excellence in appellate advocacy. I have also served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Justice 360, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting equity in capital cases.

National Practice, Local Commitment

I am admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, all U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and numerous federal district courts across the country. My active involvement in professional organizations—including serving as Co-Chair of the NACDL Amicus Curiae Committee for the Fourth Circuit and Co-Leader of the South Carolina Chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association—keeps me at the forefront of developments in federal criminal law.

I am the author of Reversing Your Criminal Conviction: Develop Your Winning Strategy (2023) and regularly speak at legal conferences on appellate brief writing, post-conviction procedures, and white-collar criminal defense strategies.

Areas of Practice

My practice encompasses the full spectrum of federal criminal post-conviction matters:

• Federal Criminal Appeals
• § 2255 Motions to Vacate
• § 2241 Habeas Petitions
• § 3582(c)(2) Sentence Reduction Motions
• Federal Compassionate Release
• Early Termination of Supervised Release
• Presidential Pardons and Commutations
• Federal Bureau of Prisons Matters
• Pre-Trial and Trial Representation in Federal Court

If you or a loved one needs experienced federal criminal defense counsel who will fight tirelessly for justice, I invite you to contact my firm to discuss your case.