First DWI in Louisiana? The Law Says 10 Days to 6 Months in Jail
September 13, 2026
First DWI in Louisiana? The Law Says 10 Days to 6 Months in Jail A lot of people think you can’t go to jail for
DWI Lawyer in Covington, LA
The Barkemeyer Law Firm is a Covington-based DWI law firm. Our firm has been recognized through the years for its exceptional DWI attorneys. If you have been arrested for DWI or DUI in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, St. Helena, or Livingston parishes, we can help. Our firm handles cases like yours regularly. We can help you through this difficult time with an aggressive approach to your DWI charge. We are accustomed to representing clients with much to lose. Our clients have been physicians, nurses, lawyers, accountants, engineers, professors, teachers, plant operators, contractors, offshore operators, businessmen, salespeople, and more.
Aggressive DWI Attorneys Who Want To Help
The Barkemeyer Law Firm is an experienced DUI law firm in Louisiana. If you happen to get caught in a DWI arrest, dealing with the financial, as well as legal obligations and consequences can be excessively strenuous if you do not have a professionally trained DWI attorney to help you. Our lawyers make sure that our clients who have a DUI case understand the process at each step. This can help to ease their minds and reduce stress.
Your Livelihood Is At Stake
What you need to remember, is that in a case like this, your livelihood is at stake here. Your reputation will also take a very nasty hit if you do not act fast to prevent negative outcomes. You need to be protected, and we are here to make sure that you have the right DWI attorney who is well-suited to handle your case in St. Tammany Parish.
Having A Criminal Record Can Destroy Your Life
Obtaining a DWI is not ideal for any reason at all regardless of the judge’s sentence. This is because you may end up with a criminal record and this is not something that you want people seeing. If you have a criminal record that is open to the public, it basically guarantees that any chances you may have of getting a job or even a promotion may as well be gone. This is because all information regarding your records are open to any potential employers. Even for many years, a criminal record will not be something that you can shake off. However, if we handle the case properly, you may be able to file an expungement to get the arrest and/or conviction removed from your criminal record after your case is over.
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DWI Penalties in Covington
Louisiana laws contain strict penalties for people with a DWI conviction. First, your license automatically gets suspended upon a conviction, and this would stop you from doing normal everyday things like driving to the market, work, or even to the gym. The suspension gets longer if you have had a previous DUI arrest. However, we can help you navigate getting a hardship license so you can continue to drive.
Apart from having your license suspended, there are other DWI penalties which may apply, and they are steep fines to pay, home incarceration, steep fees for reinstatement of your driving license, community service, litter detail, probation, defense driving programs, and the worst, a jail sentence. Also, your criminal record would reflect a conviction. The basic penalties for a standard DWI first offense are as follows:
Fines: $300 to $1,000 fine ($750 to $1,000 if BAC 0.20 or more)
Jail time: 10 days to 6 months in jail.
Our lawyers try to get the penalties in your case minimized. We use every tool and technique we know from dozens of years of experience to minimize the damage or beat the case. Get in contact with the Covington DWI lawyers at the Barkemeyer Law Firm today if you or anyone you know is charged with DWI in Covington, Slidell, Mandeville, or elsewhere in St. Tammany Parish.
St. Tammany Parish Courthouse in Covington, LA
If you have been arrested for a DWI anywhere in St. Tammany Parish, your court proceedings will take place at the 22nd Judicial District Court (St. Tammany Parish Court), situated at 701 North Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. This includes DWI arrests that occurred in Slidell as well. Since the law change in June 2025, all DWI cases that occurred in Slidell, LA now go to the St. Tammany District Court in Covington, LA. The reason for this is because the law change provides for a right to a jury trial for DWI cases. Jury trials can only be conducted at the courthouse in Covington, not Slidell.
Court Time: Most judges start court at 8:30 am, while some begin at 9:00 am. The misdemeanor courtroom on the first floor always begins at 8:30 am. As a defendant, you should be present at 8:30. Many times, the judge does not take the bench until later. All the lawyers and prosecutors must conduct a good amount of business in the back and in the courtroom before court actually begins.
Parking: The easiest free parking is in the parking lot next to the courthouse on Jefferson Avenue.
Court Attire: Be sure you dress appropriately in court. Do not wear shorts or tops that expose your shoulders. Not to mention it’s cold in the courtrooms. No hats and turn your cell phones off.
Misdemeanor Courtroom in Covington
If you were arrested for a misdemeanor DWI (DWI first offense or DWI second offense), your arraignment will take place in the Misdemeanor courtroom on the first floor of the courthouse. The doors to the courtroom open at 8:30 am. At your arraignment, the case will then be assigned for pre-trial conference and trial in a felony section. Therefore, the second court date will be in one of the felony sections even though it is a misdemeanor charge. Once again, this is due to the law change.
Felony DWI Goes to a Section
If you were charged with a felony DWI (DWI third offense or DWI fourth offense), your arraignment will take place in one of the felony sections listed on your bond paperwork. Look for a letter at the bottom-right of your bond sheet. That letter is for a specific judge.
See below the Divisions & Judges in St. Tammany Parish:
Division A — Judge Alan M. Black
Division B — Judge Reginald T. Zeller
Division C — Judge Scott M. Swartz
Division D — Judge Vincent J. Keller
Division E — Judge William H. Burris
Division F — Judge John A. Keller (Jr.) Lobello
Division G — Judge Richard A. Gardner
Division H — Judge Alan A. Zaunbrecher
Division I — Judge Allison H. Badeaux
Division J — Judge Fred W. Creel, III
More Information on DWI Charges in Louisiana
Here is a common example of a DWI arrest in Covington, Louisiana
When Ms. J gets off of a long day at work and heads to the bar to meet a friend for a drink. She has a couple cocktails, and decides to head back home to get ready for the next day. As she continues on her seven block drive home, she approaches a stop sign. Prior to reaching the intersection, she attempts to answer an incoming call on her cell phone. The phone slips out of her hands, falling to the floor. As she reaches down to pick up the phone, she realizes she went too far into the intersection before stopping. The officer camped out in his patrol car a short distance away notices too. He turns on his lights, makes a traffic stop. Officer approaches the vehicle and asked where she came from. He then observes a strong odor of alcohol as she responds. He asks how many she had. She replies, “a couple.” He invites her to perform the pen test and other field sobriety tests. Very embarrassing and difficult. He places her in handcuffs and into the back of the police car for a drive to the station that seems like eternity. After reading over a sheet of paper with very small print, she signs it and blows into a machine. He tells her she can make one call and that someone needs to bail her out.
The above-situation is not from an actual client, however, it is a common scenario. If you have experienced anything like this, we can help you. The first thing to know is that you have 30 days to request a hearing to try to get your driver’s license back. Contact us if you need a DWI appeal lawyer in Covington and elsewhere in St. Tammany Parish.
We Wrote the Book on DWI
Other Criminal Charges
Our attorneys help with all types of criminal cases in St. Tammany Parish. In addition to providing representation for DWI and DUI, our lawyers defend clients with other criminal charges such as reckless driving, possession of marijuana, careless operation of a vehicle, improper lane use, no license, hit and run, disturbing the peace, resisting an officer, possession of drugs, criminal damage to property, flight from an officer, theft, and more. Click here to see a list of the criminal charges we help with.
Contact Our Covington DWI Lawyers
At our Covington location, our lawyers represent clients with DWI and DUI arrests from the following parishes: St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, and Washington. Attorney Carl Barkemeyer and Brenda Verbois handle this region since they have developed excellent relationships with court staff and prosecutors over the many years of practicing in this area.
Additionally, we help with the license suspension hearing which is a crucial part of the process. DUIs are very complex cases.
Our Covington / Northshore office is a staffed location where clients can schedule in-person consultations and case planning meetings. It provides a convenient local point of contact for clients who want experienced guidance without traveling to New Orleans or Baton Rouge. This office serves individuals facing DWI charges throughout the following parishes:
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- Assumption Parish
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- St. Helena Parish
Visit our Locations page if your DWI arrest is not in one of these parishes or call us to direct you to the correct office.
Visit the Covington Office
Barkemeyer Law Firm – DWI Lawyers
810 N. Columbia Street, Suite B
Covington, LA 70433
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