Livingston Parish Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Livingston Parish. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Livingston Parish.
Sentencing in Livingston Parish
In Livingston 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.
The Right to Trial by Jury
The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.
Livingston 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.
Prosecutor in Livingston Parish
In Livingston Parish, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Livingston Parish. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Louisiana. For the most part, the prosecutor in Livingston Parish has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Livingston Parish Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Livingston Parish this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Livingston Parish Criminal Court and the judge will read the charges that were filed against the defendant. The judge will also read the rights the defendant has and ask the defendant if they understand both the charges filed against them and their rights as a defendant in the case. In Livingston Parish a plea of Guilty, Not Guilty or No Contest may be entered. In a guilty or no contest plea the sentencing of the defendant may take place at the same arraignment hearing or a later date may be scheduled for sentencing. For a not guilty plea, a date will be set for a trial.
Where can I get help for my Livingston Parish criminal case?
The 6th amendment of the United States Constitution provides a criminal defendant with the right to an attorney. As read in the miranda rights, this means that if a defendant cannot afford to hire a private attorney a legal attorney will be appointed to the defendant to represent him at no cost to the defendant. This is often a public defender. In addition, the court clerk for Livingston Parish will also be able to provide general information about a specific criminal case. The clerk can only provide information and is not an attorney so they cannot provide legal advice, only a licensed attorney can provide legal advice about what the best options for are for your particular case.
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.
Where will Livingston Parish criminal case hearings take place?
Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Livingston Parish. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Livingston Parish.
Mandatory Appearances in Livingston Parish Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Livingston 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.
Jury Deliberations in Livingston Parish
In Livingston Parish, jury deliberations will take place in a jury trial after the prosecution and defense have presented their cases and rested. At this point, the judge will provide a list of instructions to the jury about what they are allowed and not allowed to do and what verdict options are available for them to decide. The jury will be sent to a private room to discuss the evidence presented in the case and attempt to reach a unaminous decision. When a unaminous decision is reached, the jury will inform the judge that they have reached a verdict and will return to the courtroom for the verdict to be read allowed. In the event that the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury results in a deadlock and a mistrial is declared.
Appealing a Criminal Conviciton
A defendant may appeal a criminal conviction to an appellate court. In an appeal, the actual trial is not redone, but the appellate court hears arguments that the criminal case was not handled in a legal manner at the original criminal court. The appellate court can either uphold the conviction, or determine that errors were made and may request a retrial, a resentencing of the defendant or that the charges be dismissed.
The Right to Counsel
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.s. Constitution give defendants in criminal cases the right to counsel/attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to represent you. Like other rights a defendant has, this one can be waived as well and alternatively you can choose to represent yourself.
Livingston Parish Criminal Court Locations
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Livingston 21st Judicial District Court – Denham Springs Branch
Address: 133 Aspen Square, Suite C, Denham Springs LA 70726
Phone: 225-686-2216 Fax: 225-686-1867 -
Livingston 21st Judicial District Court – Livingston Courthouse
Address: 20300 Government Blvd, PO Box 1150, Livingston LA 70754
Phone: 225-686-2216 Fax: 225-686-1867 -
Denham Springs City Court
Address: 400 Mayor Herbert Hoover Avenue, Denham Springs LA 70726
Phone: 225-665-5505 Fax: 225-665-2648 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 1
Address: 34674 LA Hwy 16, Denham Springs LA 70706
Phone: 225-667-1500 Fax: 225-667-1500 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 3
Address: 20800 Adam Averett Road, Livingston LA 70754
Phone: 225-698-6673 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 4
Address: PO Box 53, Albany LA 70711
Phone: 985-351-9756 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 5
Address: 14724 Bear Island Road, Maurepas LA 70449
Phone: 225-695-3666 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 6
Address: 27520 Heritage Lane, Springfield LA 70462
Phone: 225-278-6506 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 7
Address: 10964 LA Hwy 1033, Denham Springs LA 70726
Phone: 225-921-5282 or 225-664-9151 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 8
Address: 32447 Mangum Chapel Road, Walker LA 70785
Phone: 225-202-8631 or 225-686-3890 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 9
Address: 14061 Florida Blvd, PO Box 657, Livingston LA 70754
Phone: 225-686-8244 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 10
Address: 29148 Hwy 444, PO Box 921, Springfield LA 70462
Phone: 225-695-3508 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 11
Address: 30930 Walker Road North, Walker LA 70785
Phone: 225-664-2893 -
Albany Mayor’s Court
Address: 29816 South Montpelier Road, PO Box 1000, Albany LA 70711
Phone: 225-567-1101 Fax: 225-567-4902 -
French Settlement Mayor’s Court
Address: 16015 Hwy 16, PO Box 3, French Settlement LA 70733
Phone: 225-698-6100 Fax: 225-698-3007 -
Killian Mayor’s Court
Address: 28284 Hwy 22, PO Box 546, Springfield LA 70462
Phone: 225-695-6785 Fax: 225-695-3365 -
Livingston Mayor’s Court
Address: 20550 Circle Drive, PO Box 430, Livingston LA 70754
Phone: 225-686-7153 Fax: 225-686-0688 -
Port Vincent Mayor’s Court
Address: 18235 Hwy 16, Port Vincent LA 70726
Phone: 225-698-9891 Fax: 225-698-9036 -
Springfield Mayor’s Court
Address: 27378 Hwy 42, PO Box 352, Springfield LA 70462
Phone: 225-294-3150 Fax: 225-294-2230 -
Walker Mayor’s Court
Address: 10136 Florida Blvd, PO Box 217, Walker LA 70785
Phone: 225-664-7692 Fax: 225-664-6457