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Posts by David Joseph Rozas
Felony vs. Misdemeanor Charges in Baton Rouge: How the Charge Gets Decided
One of the most common questions we get from people arrested in Baton Rouge is simple: is this a felony or a misdemeanor? The answer isn’t always obvious at the moment of arrest, and it can change as the case moves forward. When someone is arrested, the arresting officer books them on the charge they…
Read MoreFirst Appearance and Bail in the 19th Judicial District Court: What to Expect
Every criminal case arrested within East Baton Rouge Parish moves through the 19th Judicial District Court. For someone newly arrested — or their family — the first real contact with that court is the “first appearance,” where a judge formally advises the accused of the charges and addresses bail. In practice, this hearing is brief.…
Read MoreWhat Happens After You’re Booked at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison
If someone you love has just been arrested in Baton Rouge, the first hours can be the most confusing and frightening part of the entire process. Most adult arrests in East Baton Rouge Parish end with the person being transported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison (EBRPP) on Fair Wood Drive, where they are booked,…
Read MoreArrested in Baton Rouge? What Happens in the First 72 Hours
The phone call usually comes at two in the morning. A son, a husband, a girlfriend is in handcuffs after a stop on I-10 or an incident near the LSU campus, and the family wants to know one thing: what happens now? After years of defending people in this city, we can tell you the…
Read MoreLouisiana Wrongful Conviction Compensation: Why the AG’s Opposition Is Wrong
Louisiana Says It Compensates the Innocent. Our Attorney General Is Fighting to Make Sure It Doesn’t. By David Rozas, Rozas Law I have spent 21 years defending people the state of Louisiana wanted to lock up. In that time, I have learned that the hardest part of this job is not the trial. It…
Read MoreClearing Your Record: How Expungement Works in Louisiana
A criminal record does not just sit in a courthouse file. It shows up when you apply for a job, an apartment, a nursing license, sometimes even a volunteer position at your kid’s school. One arrest from ten years ago keeps costing you, over and over. And here is the part that surprises people: it…
Read MoreDomestic Abuse Battery in Louisiana: What Really Happens After the Arrest
Domestic violence arrests happen fast in Louisiana. Someone calls 911, deputies or Baton Rouge police show up, both people are upset, and within twenty minutes one of them is in handcuffs headed to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Officers responding to a domestic call almost always arrest somebody, even when the evidence is thin, because…
Read MoreDrug Charges in Baton Rouge: Possession, Intent to Distribute, and the Fentanyl Crackdown
If you were just arrested on a drug charge in Baton Rouge, the first thing you need to understand is this: the charge on your paperwork is a starting point, not a verdict. Prosecutors in East Baton Rouge Parish charge high and negotiate from there. What actually happens to you depends on the drug, the…
Read MoreHow Sex Offender Registration Works Under La. R.S. 15:542
Louisiana’s registration statute, La. R.S. 15:542, requires people convicted of designated sex offenses to register with law enforcement where they live, work, and attend school. This is not a one-time form. Registration means ongoing, in-person reporting of your address, your employment, your vehicles, and, in the internet age, your online identifiers, meaning email addresses and…
Read MoreWhat Sex Crime Charges Look Like Under Louisiana Law
Louisiana’s sex offense statutes cover an enormous range of conduct, and the labels matter less to the public than they do in court. The charges run from misdemeanor-level contexts up through serious felonies: indecent behavior with juveniles under La. R.S. 14:81, felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile under La. R.S. 14:80, sexual battery under La.…
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