Baton Rouge Criminal Defense Lawyer

A criminal conviction can severely harm your future. A skilled Baton Rouge criminal defense lawyer is essential in the face of a criminal arrest or charges. If you’re facing criminal charges, hiring a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney in Baton Rouge could mean the difference between freedom and a conviction. Your attorney can help you lower the penalties you face, achieve a lighter sentence, or even have the charges against you dropped.

The United States was founded on principles of freedom, liberty and the presumption of innocence. No one should be considered guilty before they’re given a chance to mount a defense to protect their basic rights and freedoms. An effective legal defense protects your interests, your rights, and, potentially, your reputation.

At Longman Jakuback, our criminal defense lawyers are here to help you do that.

Don’t Wait. Contact A Criminal Defense Lawyer As Soon As Possible

There is never a right time to hire a criminal defense lawyer — if you need to, you are going through the worst time of your life. There is, however, a wrong time to decide to hire an attorney. If you have waited until after you say the words “not guilty,” you have waited much too long. It is crucial that you secure an attorney if you have been arrested, charged, or even if you believe you are under investigation. The sooner you begin working with an attorney, the more effectively they can protect your rights and your future.

People accused of crimes are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, it is all too common for prosecutors, the media and public perception to convict people before they even see the inside of a courtroom. Individuals who have been arrested, who have been contacted by law enforcement or who are in the midst of a criminal investigation already have a ticking clock going. Whether you are facing criminal charges or have just found out that you are under investigation, it is vital that you select the right defense team to represent you immediately. Any accusation, no matter how trivial, can quickly turn into a complex criminal charge. You need effective criminal defense to avoid excessive or wrongful convictions.

For a free and confidential consultation, call us at 225-383-3644 or complete our contact form. We represent clients throughout Louisiana.

How We Can Help at Longman Jakuback

Whether you are charged in Louisiana state court, a city court or a federal court, Longman Jakuback is the criminal defense firm to represent you. As soon as you become our client, Attorneys Jacob Longman and Kathryn Jakuback Burke begin developing an individualized case strategy that is tailored to steer your defense toward a successful outcome. We know the overwhelming feelings that come with a criminal case, and we provide you with the legal support you need.

Working alongside a handpicked defense team, our criminal defense attorneys utilize investigators, legal research, case strategy and specialists to deliver creative and successful resolutions in even the most difficult cases. Our firm’s winning record is the result of our ability to make complicated factual scenarios understandable to any judge, jury or prosecutor.

Should your case go to trial, our defense attorneys excel at making your side of the story heard by a jury of your peers. We have the confidence, experience and willingness to stand up and fight for the rights of the accused, no matter the type of case and no matter the odds. Going to trial can be one of the scariest times of your life — at Longman Jakuback, you will never go through those moments alone.

Criminal Cases We Handle in Louisiana

If you or a loved one have been arrested or charged with a crime, it’s important to find the right attorney. Your criminal defense attorney should have experience and success in the type of criminal offense you have been charged with and know how to handle cases of similar severity. Your case is more likely to be resolved quickly and in a beneficial manner.

At Longman Jakuback, we have experience and success in many cases. From domestic violence to Medicaid fraud, our firm represents clients facing a wide range of criminal charges. Contact us today if you are facing any of the following:

• Violent crime charges

Violent crimes are fiercely prosecuted in Louisiana. They include crimes such as domestic violence, assault, armed robbery, kidnapping, battery, attempted murder, murder, and certain otherwise non-violent crimes committed with a firearm or deadly weapon. These crimes come with very severe penalties if convicted. Effective legal support is essential to mitigate these consequences.

• Drug charges

Drug charges and crimes include simple possession, distribution, manufacturing, possession with intent to sell, and drug trafficking. Although simple possession of certain substances may be charged as a misdemeanor, a majority of drug charges are felonies. In some cases, drug charges are federal offenses.

If you are arrested for a drug offense, it is important to understand that it is not a conviction, and you have options. A skilled attorney can help you find ways to mitigate the penalties you face, such as by challenging how the evidence was obtained or employing other defense options. If you don’t work with an attorney, you may end up being charged with a much more serious drug crime. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors often charge drug crimes much more harshly.

• DWI charges

A DWI is charged if you are operating your motor vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of any controlled substance. Penalties for a DWI are serious, and even a first offense could potentially result in time in jail and significant fines, in addition to the loss of your license and alternate sentencing after imprisonment. An attorney can help you navigate the criminal and administrative hearings, and they can help you defend and potentially reinstate your license.

A DWI is charged more seriously if it is a repeat offense or there are other aggravating factors, such as an accident that causes serious injury or death to another person. Whether your DWI has aggravating factors or not, an attorney is crucial to defend you.

An attorney can determine if your rights were respected during the arrest and may be able to help you avoid conviction. If a law enforcement officer did not have probable cause and reasonable suspicion to pull your vehicle over, then the evidence collected at the arrest could be dismissed. In some cases, this results in the dismissal of the charges.

• Reproductive Rights Charges

In Louisiana, abortion is criminalized. This is a denial of the basic bodily and reproductive rights of many people. In the state, aiding or causing pregnancy termination is criminalized, meaning physicians, pharmacists, and other individuals who aid in an abortion can be charged. You need a skilled attorney to defend you. The attorneys with Longman Jakuback can defend your rights against anti-abortion laws.

• Sex crime charges

Being charged with a sex crime is a serious criminal matter, and it is also serious for your personal, social, and professional reputation. Sex crimes are very stigmatized, and it is crucial that your attorney works to effectively create a defense. Sex crimes can include indecent behavior, prostitution, rape, sexual battery, and child pornography. Many of these crimes require a skilled defense.

• Internet / cybercrime charges

Internet and cybercrimes cover a number of crimes committed online. These include theft, identity theft, credit card fraud, hacking, sex crimes, and drug crimes. These laws are frequently evolving, so your attorney must have knowledge and skills in both state and federal laws relevant to your case.

• White collar charges

White collar crimes include several types of fraud, such as forgery, insurance fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud. This category also includes crimes like embezzlement, bribery, extortion, and money laundering. White collar crimes are financial and are typically non-violent crimes that can cause significant financial harm to many individuals, families, businesses, and investors. In addition to criminal charges, the accused individual may also face civil cases filed by those who were harmed.

Often, these crimes are charged in federal courts. At Longman Jakuback, we have experience in federal courts defending clients against these crimes.

We explore every available option for helping our clients, including defense counsel in grand jury investigations, as well as mitigation strategies for avoiding jail time. Let us help tell your side of the story.

Grand Jury Investigations

A grand jury is not the same as a petit jury, which exists to determine the guilt of a defendant in a criminal case. A grand jury does not determine guilt. Instead, a grand jury is called to determine if there is sufficient evidence against an individual to file charges. This is typically used for serious felony charges or federal felonies.

Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction in Louisiana

There are several criminal penalties for convictions, including fines, incarceration, and alternative sentencing. However, there are also collateral consequences, which are not necessarily direct punitive measures but still greatly affect your life. Criminal records become part of the public record, meaning anyone can request them in a background check. Collateral consequences may include:

• Losing certain civil rights, including the right to vote or the right to own a firearm
• Eviction from housing and difficulty getting approved for housing
• Affecting child custody determinations
• Disqualification from professional licenses
• Limitations on securing federal medical benefits and loans
• Affecting educational opportunities
• Requiring sex offender registration
• Harm to residency and citizenship status, even resulting in deportation

Felonies typically have much more severe collateral consequences than misdemeanors. It’s important to understand the long-term effect a conviction can have on your future.

As of 2021, Louisiana has additional protections for individuals with criminal records in respect to employment opportunities. Despite this, a criminal record can still affect employment opportunities. Employers are expected to assess if the history listed on a potential employee’s criminal record directly and negatively relates to and affects the job duties in question. Employers are meant to consider the time that has elapsed, the nature of the job, and the severity of the offense.

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Schedule a Free Consultation With Longman Jakuback

Longman Jakuback believes strongly in the rights of those accused of crimes, and we are passionate in our defense of our clients’ rights. We can help if you have been charged with a crime or if you or a loved one was wrongfully convicted. We want to represent your interests and support you through this incredibly stressful process.

To arrange a free initial consultation, please call us at 225-383-3644 or complete our contact form. We are a dedicated team of criminal defense lawyers representing clients in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana.