DWI / DUI

Louisiana takes DUI/DWI very seriously. Penalties include not only jail time and hefty fines but also license suspension. Penalties become harsher with each subsequent DUI/DWI. To protect your rights and fight the charge, turn to a DUI lawyer in Lake Charles who handles DUI/DWI cases regularly. Remember, you have only 30 days to apply for a hearing to possibly prevent license suspension which is separate from the criminal charge!

Domestic Abuse Violence

Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse or family violence, involves a wide range of physical, verbal, or sexual offenses in any domestic setting such as in a marriage or a domestic partnership. The persons involved include family members, household members, or dating partners. Additionally, even a misdemeanor conviction for domestic abuse battery will cause a loss of gun rights. It’s the only misdemeanor that carries such a penalty.

Also, each domestic abuse battery charge enhances, meaning that the penalties get worse and can ultimately rise to a felony. A second domestic violence conviction is considered a felony in the state of Louisiana.

Drug Offenses

A drug conviction can affect many areas of your life including your employment. Every year, thousands of people in Louisiana are convicted of drug offenses. While arrests for simple marijuana possession have plunged since Baton Rouge and New Orleans passed municipal ordinances decriminalizing simple possession, penalties can still be stiff for even simple possession of other controlled substances. 



Our Shreveport / Bossier criminal defense attorney represents clients facing all types of drug offenses including possession, DUI drug charges, drug trafficking, and possession with intent to distribute.

Homicide

Homicide is perhaps the most serious charge you can face in Louisiana. If you are facing a homicide charge, your life and future are on the line as a conviction can lead to long incarceration or even the death penalty. A homicide charge may be reduced to a lesser charge, ruled justifiable, or be returned with a “not guilty” verdict, but it’s crucial to begin building your defense as soon as possible.

Assault / Battery

Under Louisiana law, assault is an attempt to cause physical harm to someone or a threat of action that makes the other person fear impending violence. Battery is the intentional infliction of physical harm on someone else. These crimes may be charged as a misdemeanor or felony depending on the circumstances and require a strong legal defense. There are more than 18,000 arrests in Louisiana every year for aggravated assault alone.

Vehicular Injury

Vehicular injury (or vehicular homicide) is a type of aggravated assault charge that involves the intentional infliction of force or violence against someone using a vehicle that may result in death. Penalties for vehicular injury can be stiff and include not only jail or prison time but also hefty penalties and a revoked driver’s license. 

White - Collar Crimes

White-collar crimes refer to non-violent crimes that usually involve economic crimes, corruption, or environmental crimes. These crimes are also called corporate crimes because many crimes in this category, such as embezzlement, are easier and more common among employees of large corporations.



Many white-collar crimes come with a public stigma and may even involve federal investigators. We defend clients against a range of white collar crimes in Louisiana including money laundering, tax fraud, extortion, bribery, public corruption, and embezzlement.

Internet Crimes

Internet or cybercrimes refer to a broad range of crimes that involve a network or computer including identity theft, credit card theft, child pornography and online sex crimes, computer hacking, and phishing. These cases often involve complex technological details that require a forensic computer specialist’s expertise and laws tend to be behind the technology. 



You may even inadvertently commit an internet crime or do nothing wrong at all and end up facing a frightening criminal investigation that may involve the federal government. If you have been charged with cybercrime, seek legal counsel from an experienced criminal law attorney in Shreveport / Bossier as soon as possible. 

Sex Crimes

Are you facing a charge for a sex crime? These crimes carry a level of stigma and presumption of guilt like almost no other area of law and require a skilled defense. Even without a conviction, being charged with a sex crime can affect many areas of your life including personal relationships and employment.

 

In many cases, these charges come with public pressure for prosecution and conviction rates are high. By seeking the best criminal law attorney in Shreveport / Bossier, LA, you can begin building your defense and gathering evidence to support yourself. Our criminal defense attorneys represent clients facing Louisiana state and federal charges including rape, statutory rape, solicitation, sexual assault, and internet sex crimes.

Professional Disciplinary Actions

Are you facing disciplinary action before a Louisiana professional licensing board? With your reputation and career at stake, it’s important to choose an experienced criminal law attorney in Louisiana familiar with the standards and procedures of the board to build a strong defense. 

Professional disciplinary issues can be serious and require an approach that differs from one that would be used in a criminal or civil courtroom. This helps fight the potentially devastating effects of a disciplinary action which may include loss of license, a suspended license, or a monetary penalty.

Juvenile Defense & Juvenile Delinquency

Louisiana ranks second in the United States for juvenile arrests with 126 arrests for theft charges alone in 2018. Under Louisiana law, juveniles under 18 who are charged with a crime have their case heard in a special juvenile court which recognizes that children and adolescents may not be completely responsible for their actions. 



Criminal charges in juvenile court in Louisiana have high stakes as they can affect a child’s entire future. An experienced juvenile defense attorney will strive to obtain the best possible results that minimize penalties and help the adolescent move forward. 

Federal Charges

Are you facing federal criminal charges? It’s crucial to work with a Louisiana criminal defense attorney experienced in defending federal charges. Federal charges come with very different rules in terms of how witness testimony and evidence may be used, the discovery process, and even what prosecutors may and may not do. 

Penalties for federal convictions can also be much harsher than convictions at the state level. We defend clients against all types of federal cases including violent offenses, firearms offenses, internet crimes, and drug offenses.

Expungement

Depending on your conviction and the circumstances, you may qualify to have your criminal record expunged in Louisiana. Expungement refers to removing a record from public access although it does not permanently destroy your record. For example, state agencies, criminal justice agencies, and law enforcement can still access your record but it can’t be viewed by employers or potential landlords.