Felony Charge Defense Lawyer in Livingston Parish, Louisiana

If you have recently been charged with a felony, it should be taken as a serious charge that should not be taken lightly. Being charged with a felony can cause serious amounts of stress due to the potential heavy punishments and penalties that come with it. Felonies are usually the more serious crimes compared to misdemeanors and can detrimentally hurt your future by disallowing you from certain opportunities in the future by affecting your permanent criminal record as well. Thankfully, Carl Barkemeyer is a highly experienced criminal defense attorney in the Livingston Parish and Denham Springs area of Louisiana. He has handled and successfully defended many felony charges in the past for various different crimes and will help you build a case that can potentially attain the most ideal outcome for you and your loved ones.

What is a felony in Louisiana?

Legally speaking, a felony is every crime that is not considered a misdemeanor. Felonies are the more serious criminal charges and are accompanied by very strict penalties and punishments. A felony charge should not be taken lightly and need to be defended with lots of knowledge and expertise during trial. Here are some examples of felony criminal charges in Louisiana:

            -Sexual assault / rape

            -Theft crimes including armed robbery, theft of more than $500, and burglary

            -Kidnapping

            -Murder / manslaughter

            -Violent crimes including aggravated assault

            -Drug crimes including trafficking

            -Treason

            -Arson

            -A third DWI conviction

All of these crimes are either very dangerous or involve the harm of others which is why they are considered felonies. You’ll notice there aren’t any simple drug charges or simple alcohol charges on the list. Another determining factor of felonies is that virtually every crime against another person is considered a felony, the only exception being simple assault or battery.

What are the punishments for felonies in Louisiana?

The punishments and penalties for felonies are always very strict because of the harmful nature of the crimes. However, the punishments will vary by the different criminal charge and how many prior convictions are had for that criminal charge. The minimum fine for a felony charge is $1,000 and almost all felonies carry a minimum prison sentence that must be served if convicted. Some felonies will even carry the penalty of death in the state of Louisiana if the crime was heinous enough. All felonies will also leave a mark on your permanent criminal record which can hold you back from future opportunities like employment and applying for school. Another common punishment for felonies is the ability to lose some of your rights like running for office or voting in the future. This penalty shows the extremity of committing a felony that you are able to actually lose rights even though you are still a citizen. Because of the serious nature of felonies and the penalties they carry, it is highly recommended that you seek legal assistance so that you can defend yourself in court against the charges and strict punishments.

What is statute of limitations?

Many crimes including some felonies have a statute of limitations built in. A statute of limitations is defined as a period of time that has passed between the actual crime committed and when the state must begin the criminal prosecution, otherwise the case can be dismissed. For example, if you commit a drug offense in 2000 which has a statute of limitations of 10 years but you are not criminally prosecuted until 2010 then the case can be dismissed for being outside the statute of limitations. There are many crimes that go unprosecuted every year which leads to many of them being dismissed due to the statute of limitations for the crime. However, one exception to the statute of limitations in Louisiana is a felony murder charge. There is no statute of limitations for a murder charge so you can be criminally prosecuted at any point in your life for a murder you committed. It’s important to understand what the statute of limitations is for the crime you are charged with because it can be a key factor in whether or not you can successfully defend your case during trial.

How can we help you?

First off, if you have been charged with a criminal felony in Louisiana then it is important to understand what your rights are and it is important to not take the charges lightly. Felonies are extremely serious charges that carry severe penalties and punishments that can really detrimentally hurt your future and the future of your loved ones. These penalties can include high fines, long prison times, and sometimes even death depending on the crime. We highly recommend you seek legal assistance immediately after being charged with a felony in the Livingston Parish or Denham Springs area of Louisiana. Carl Barkemeyer is a highly experienced criminal defense attorney that has successfully defended many felony cases over the years in Louisiana. It is important to get legal help early on so that a case can be built around your specific charges and crimes. When a solid defense is mounted in your favor, you stand a better chance at coming out of the trial with more ideal and successful outcome for yourself and your loved ones. Being arrested for a felony crime is an extremely stressful and taxing experience on you and the other people involved in the crime. However, we at the office of Carl Barkemeyer, criminal defense attorney are here to help so that you can fight for your freedom and potentially get your life back on track. If you are currently charged with a felony in Livingston Parish, give us a call at (225) 964-6720 for immediate legal assistance.