Covington DWI Lawyers at the Barkemeyer Law Firm
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 in Covington, LA we know how stressful your charges may seem. 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.
Our Firms Focuses On DWI Charges Across The State
Getting A DWI In Louisiana Is A Serious Matter
If you are arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in St. Tammany Parish, the consequences are not light at all. First, you face having to be stripped of your driving license and then getting hit with heavy fines, probation, community service, classes, and possibly jail-time.
Judges Are Tough on DWI In St. Tammany Parish
Aggressive DWI Attorneys Who Want To Help
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 DWI 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.
DWI Penalties in St. Tammany Parish
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 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
The St. Tammany Parish Courthouse, located at 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433, is where all the criminal felony cases are prosecuted. Misdemeanor DWI cases are prosecuted here as well unless the arrest took place in the City of Slidell. Then, court will be held in Slidell City Court.
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.
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.
We Wrote the Book on DWI
Contact Our Covington DWI Lawyers
Whether you have received the DWI or DUI in Mandeville, Covington, Slidell, or anywhere else in St. Tammany Parish, our Covington DWI lawyers may be able to help. We can help with the license suspension as a result of the submittal or refusal of the breathalyzer as well. DWIs are very complex cases. We know how to protect clients with drunk driving charges.
Contact our Covington DWI attorneys to discuss your DWI arrest.
Contact Barkemeyer Law Firm today if you need an attorney that specializes in DWI charges in Covington Louisiana.
Louisiana DWI & Criminal Lawyers
Louisiana criminal lawyers and DWI attorneys at the Barkemeyer Law Firm providing legal defense services for clients in Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Port Allen, Alexandria, New Orleans, Lafayette, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Hahnville, Chalmette, Slidell, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John, St. Bernard, Mandeville, Covington, Shreveport, Bossier, Jefferson, and all of Louisiana.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is not formal legal advice nor does it create an attorney-client relationship.
Louisiana DWI And Criminal Law Firm
