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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…
First 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….
What 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,…
Arrested 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…
Louisiana 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…
Clearing 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…
Drug 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…
How 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…
Under Federal Investigation in Baton Rouge? Here’s What to Do Now
The phone call usually comes on an ordinary day. An FBI agent left a card at your office. A letter arrived from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. A business associate mentions, almost casually, that agents asked him questions about you last week. Your stomach drops, and it should. A federal…
Federal Wire Fraud Charges in Louisiana: What You’re Really Facing
Wire fraud is the federal government’s favorite charge. That is not an exaggeration. Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana reach for 18 U.S.C. § 1343 constantly, because it is broad, flexible, and easy to stack. If the government believes you devised a scheme to defraud someone and used any…
