Knox appeal: How will her fate be decided?

(CNN) -- American Amanda Knox and her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are appealing their convictions in the killing of British exchange student Meredith Kercher. Here is a guide to the appeal process.
On what grounds are Knox and Sollecito appealing their convictions for murder, sexual assault, possession of a weapon, interfering with a crime and theft?
The defense has sought to discredit DNA evidence linking the two of them to the killing, in which British exchange student Meredith Kercher's throat was slashed. Her partially-clothed body was found in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia, a central Italian university town.
Two experts have argued that DNA evidence found on the knife used to kill Kercher and on her bra clasp was unreliable and contaminated by poor handling. Prosecutors in 2009 had said there were traces of Knox's genetic material on the handle and Kercher's in a tiny groove on the blade.

Knox trial explained

Final arguments in Amanda Knox appeal

Covering the Amanda Knox case

Knox and Sollecito's defense teams have suggested Rudy Guede, who is already serving a 16-year sentence for the murder, could have been the sole killer.
The case against Knox and Sollecito
Who makes the decision?
Eight jurors -- six members of the public and two judges -- will decide the case. The judges take part and vote as part of the jury: their role is to guide but not to instruct the other jurors how to vote. The presiding judge, Claudio Pratillo Hellmann, who is also one of the jurors, will then read out the verdict.
What are the possible rulings in the appeal?
There are three possible outcomes for the defendants:
1) Verdict is upheld
2) Verdict is overturned
3) Verdict is partially overturned, with a decrease in sentence (verdicts can be upheld on some counts but not others, this may result in a decrease in their sentences).
Whatever ruling is delivered in the appeal does it mean the case is closed for good or could there be further appeals?
Whatever the outcome of appeals by Knox and Sollecito, there will most likely be appeals by the losing sides. Both the defense and prosecution can each take their case to Italy's highest court.
Whatever happens, the pair will return to prison -- even if they are cleared. In this event they will return to prison where they will complete paperwork and collect their belongings. But within hours they will be free; CNN understands Knox would immediately leave the country in this event.
Knox, 24, need not remain in Italy pending a possible appeal by the prosecution. After the ruling, the judge has 90 days to write a report on why the court reached its conclusions. The parties then have 45 days to file an appeal to the High Court, which then must schedule it, according to Luiss University law professor, Nicola Di Mario.
So there'll be at least four months between the verdict and any possible High Court appeal. When it reaches the High Court the hearing would be very short and dependent on key technical issues and arguments, not a review of the actual trial itself, according to Di Mario.
Where would an acquittal of Knox and/or Sollecito leave the case of the other?
This is the big question. The co-defendants are appealing together, and while different verdicts could theoretically be delivered for each of them, this is highly unlikely. A third person convicted of the murder, Rudy Guede, has already appealed to the High Court and had his sentence reduced to 16 years.
Can the defendants ever be tried again for the same crime?
After the case goes to Italy's highest court and assuming it does not overturn the appeals ruling, Knox cannot be tried again for the same crime under the "double jeopardy" rule.
What will happen if a possible appeal by the prosecution to Italy's highest court is successful after Knox has returned to the United States?
If Knox is acquitted on appeal and Italy's highest court overturns the lower court's decision it effectively revalidates the lower court's sentence, which means 26 years in jail for Knox.
Italy would then have to put a request to U.S. authorities for extradition, and it would remain to be seen if that is granted or not. Deputy State Department spokesman Mark Toner told CNN: "Questions regarding Italian law and process are not ones we can answer. They need to be addressed to Italian authorities.
"The United States and Italy do have a bilateral extradition treaty, which has been in force since 1984. Questions about possible return to the U.S., extradition request, etc. are too speculative for us to be able to comment."
Does Italian law allow for any civil action by the defendants or by Amanda Kercher's family following a criminal case?
Yes, a civil action for damages took place alongside the original criminal trial. The family of Kercher sought $36 million in damages from the three co-defendants if they were convicted on the criminal charges.. The court will rule on this when the appeal ruling is delivered.
Do the defendants face any other charges?
Knox is also appealing an additional charge for which she was convicted: Defamation of Patrick Lumumba, the club owner whom Knox accused of killing Kercher. He was arrested but released after his alibi checked out. He later sued Knox for libel, winning 40,000 euros ($54,000) in damages.