Adnan Syed, whose 2000 murder case was the subject of the popular Serial podcast, has been granted an appeal in a Maryland court.

Adnan Syed Granted Appeal

Syed, 34, was charged and convicted of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee’s 1999 murder and subsequently sentenced to life behind bars. On Friday, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals accepted Syed’s application, which hinged on two claims involving his former attorney Christina Gutierrez – that she failed to investigate a possible alibi witness and that she had lied to Syed about the possibility for a plea deal.

“It’s the first step in a pretty long process but we’re extremely happy,” C. Justin Brown, Syed’s current attorney, told The Baltimore Sun.

Once briefings are filed, the court will likely hear oral arguments. At the end of the oral arguments, it will be determined whether the evidence presented warrants a new trial. The proceedings could be sent back to circuit court. The worse case scenario for Syed would be if a new trial were to be denied altogether.

Syed previously filed for an appeal in 2010 to the Baltimore City Circuit Court and was denied. Rabia Chaudry, a local lawyer and close family friend of Syed, had brought his case to Serial producer Sarah Koenig after he’d already filed to the special appeals court. Upon learning that he received the appeal, she took to Twitter to share her thanks.