Facing a criminal charge in Louisiana

Bond and pretrial release in Louisiana

Article I Section 18 of the Louisiana Constitution provides for the right to bail with statutory exceptions. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 311 through 322 govern bail. C.Cr.P. Art. 316 directs the court to set the amount of bail considering enumerated factors including the seriousness of the offense, weight of evidence, defendant ties, prior record, and ability to give bail. C.Cr.P. Art. 317 lists authorized forms including personal surety, secured personal surety, commercial surety, cash deposit, and recognizance. C.Cr.P. Art. 319 governs reduction of bail on motion. Louisiana parishes commonly publish standardized bond schedules; New Orleans and other jurisdictions have adopted risk-assessment-based release recommendations.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Louisiana

Our directory is still building in Louisiana. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Louisiana

Louisiana expungement is governed by Code of Criminal Procedure articles 971 through 995. The statute establishes petition-based pathways for both arrest-only and conviction records, with distinct waiting periods and eligibility tied to offense level and disposition. The statute provides a five-year waiting period after completion of sentence for misdemeanor convictions and a ten-year period for eligible felony convictions; sex offenses, crimes of violence enumerated in R.S. 14:2(B), and offenses against minors are excluded. The motion is filed in the district court of conviction.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Louisiana

Louisiana Office of the State Public Defender serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.