Washington Parish Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Washington Parish. See below for more information about criminal cases in Washington Parish.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.
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.
Washington Parish Criminal Court
Right to an attorney
The US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment ensures the right to an attorney regardless of whether or not you can afford one. In Washington Parish a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
Prosecutor in Washington Parish
In Washington Parish, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Washington Parish. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Louisiana. For the most part, the prosecutor in Washington Parish has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.
Washington Parish Arraignments
An arraignment is a court hearing. In Washington Parish this is the first thing that will happen in a criminal case. The defendant will be brought before a judge in Washington 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 Washington 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.
Washington Parish Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Washington Parish Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Sentencing in Washington Parish
In Washington 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.
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.
Where can I get help for my Washington 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 Washington 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.
Can I appeal a guilty verdict?
If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.
Washington Parish Required Court Appearances
In Washington Parish, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.
Washington Parish Criminal Court Locations
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Washington 22nd Judicial District Court
Address: 908 Washington Street, PO Box 607, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-839-4663 (Civil) Fax: 985-839-2925 -
Bogalusa City Court
Address: 202 Arkansas Avenue, PO Box 518, Bogalusa LA 70429
Phone: 985-732-6204 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 1
Address: 17313 Kat Kaw Road, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-839-4643 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 2
Address: 35684 Hwy 38, Mt Hermon LA 70450
Phone: 985-515-0666 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 3
Address: 24512 Chinquapin Road, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-839-6993 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 5
Address: 23368 Old Columbia Road, Angie LA 70426
Phone: 985-986-7004 Fax: 985-986-2496 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 6
Address: 56380 Lambert Road, Bogalusa LA 70427
Phone: 985-735-6087 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 7
Address: 56137 Hwy 424, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-848-5575 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 8
Address: 28448 Hwy 430, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-839-5852 -
Justice of the Peace Ward 9
Address: 36279 Wilfred Bond Road, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-515-1490 -
Angie Mayor’s Court
Address: 64475 Cherry Street, PO Box 152, Angie LA 70426
Phone: 985-986-2444 Fax: 985-986-2889 -
Franklinton Mayor’s Court
Address: 301 11th Avenue, Franklinton LA 70438
Phone: 985-839-3569 Fax: 985-839-3552 -
Varnado Mayor’s Court
Address: PO Box 200, Varnado LA 70467
Phone: 985-732-4217 Fax: 985-732-0281