Senate Bill No. 481, introduced by Senator Morris, amends the Code of Criminal Procedure Article 858 to clarify the conditions under which appellate courts can review motions for a new trial. The bill stipulates that neither the supreme court nor any other appellate court may review the granting or refusal of a new trial except in cases of legal error. It establishes that the required showing of injustice for granting a new trial is a question of law, and any motion granted must demonstrate either an error of law or insufficiency of evidence as a matter of law.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the mover must prove that, when viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, no rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. This proposed law aims to standardize the review process across all appellate courts while retaining the existing provisions of the law. The changes will take effect on August 1, 2026.