Iberville Parish Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Iberville Parish. See below for more information about criminal cases in Iberville Parish.
What is a Plea Agreement?
A plea agreement is a deal made between the prosecution and the defendant in a case, where the defendant agrees to plea guilty to a particular charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. In practice, more than 90% of criminal cases end with a plea agreement.
Mandatory Appearances in Iberville Parish Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Iberville Parish, the defendant must appear before the court. In the event of a “Failure to Appear” the judge may issue a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. Note: not all criminal hearings are mandatory, in a non-mandatory hearing an attorney may appear on your behalf without you being in court.
Iberville Parish Criminal Court
What is the Burden of Proof?
The term “Burden of Proof” means that the prosecutor is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot provide proof of the defendants guilt, then the judge or jury in a trial must find the defendant not guilty. In the United States the principle innocent until proven guilty derives from this that the defendant is assumed innocent and the prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.
Appealing a guilty verdict
A defendant may appeal a guilty verdict to an appellate court. This is not a request to have another trial, but a request for an appellate court to review the case and determine that it was handled in a correct legal manner. There are a number of outcomes in an appeal including an upholding of the conviction, a finding that errors were made resulting in a retrial or resentencing or possibly a complete disimissal of all charges.
What if I can’t afford an attorney?
The 6th Amendment guarantees you the right to an attorney whether or not you can afford one. If you cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed by the court to represent you.
Arraignments in Iberville Parish
During an arraignment in Iberville Parish, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Iberville Parish, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Iberville Parish the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
What is Jury Deliberation?
After both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, the judge in the case will provide instructions to the jury about what they must decide. The jury will be dismissed to the jury room where they will deliberate about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. After reaching a unaminous decision, they return their decision to the court where it is read aloud in the courtroom. If the jury is unable to reach a unaminous decision, the jury is deadlocked, also known as a hung jury, in which a mistrial will be declared.
Iberville Parish Criminal Court hearings
Criminal hearings in Iberville Parish will take place at the Iberville Parish Criminal Courts. Please see here for a list of the Iberville Parish Criminal Court Locations.
Prosecutor in Iberville Parish
In Iberville Parish, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Iberville Parish. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Louisiana. For the most part, the prosecutor in Iberville Parish has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Sentencing in Iberville Parish
In Iberville Parish if the defendant is found guilty (by trial or plea), the defendant will be sentenced. This sometimes occurrs immediately after being found guilty, but can also take place at a later date. In most instances, a judge will impose the sentence that is requested by the prosecution, but they also have the descretion to impose a different sentence.
Jury by Trial Right
The US Constitution (Article 3 along with the 6th Amendment) ensures an accused defendant the right to a jury trial. This applies to crimes that have a $500 fine or a potential sentence of six months in jail (aka Serious Crimes). This right to trial by jury can also be waived by a defendant.
I need help for my Iberville Parish criminal case
The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the Iberville Parish court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for Iberville Parish will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.
Iberville Parish Criminal Court Locations
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Iberville 18th Judicial District Court
Address: 58050 Meriam Street, PO Box 423, Plaquemine LA 70765
Phone: 225-687-5160 Fax: 225-687-5260 -
Plaquemine City Court
Address: 23640 Railroad Avenue, PO Box 1017, Plaquemine LA 70765
Phone: 225-687-7236 Fax: 225-687-9589 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 1
Address: 34000 Bowie Street, White Castle LA 70788
Phone: 225-545-3034 or 225-545-2577 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 2
Address: PO Box 451, Carville LA 70721
Phone: 225-603-7192 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 3
Address: 24100 Sebastian Street, Plaquemine LA 70764
Phone: 225-687-1235 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 4
Address: 63570 Old Hwy 77, Plaquemine LA 70764
Phone: 225-439-7072 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 5
Address: 65455 Mendoza Drive, Plaquemine LA 70764
Phone: 225-776-5171 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 6
Address: 21655 Hwy 77, Grosse Tete LA 70740
Phone: 225-648-2766 -
Grosse Tete Mayor’s Court
Address: 18125 Willow Street, PO Box 98, Grosse Tete LA 70740
Phone: 225-648-2131 Fax: 225-648-2285 -
Maringouin Mayor’s Court
Address: 77510 Landry Drive, PO Box 10, Maringouin LA 70757
Phone: 225-625-2630 Fax: 225-625-2359 -
Rosedale Mayor’s Court
Address: 76535 Rosedale Road, PO Box 167, Rosedale LA 70772
Phone: 225-648-2333 Fax: 225-648-2335 -
St. Gabriel Mayor’s Court
Address: 5035 Iberville Street, PO Box 597, St. Gabriel LA 70776
Phone: 225-642-9600 Fax: 225-642-9670 -
White Castle Mayor’s Court
Address: 32535 Bowie Street, PO Box 488, White Castle LA 70788
Phone: 225-545-3012 Fax: 225-545-8456