The Colorado Court of Appeals had her sentence thrown out for Tina Peters, though her conviction for election system misconduct was upheld.

The court ruled that the original judge violated her First Amendment rights by considering her public statements when imposing the sentence.

As a result, the case is being sent back for re-sentencing, though the same sentence could potentially be reimposed if properly justified.

Peters has a limited window to appeal further, including the possibility of taking the case to the Colorado Supreme Court, CBS News has reported.

Legal experts say the process could be lengthy, and she may serve additional time or even complete her sentence before final rulings are made.