Representing clients in investigations, grand jury proceedings, plea negotiations, motion practice, trials and expungements. She has worked on cases involving mail or wire fraud, public corruption, healthcare and insurance fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and contractor fraud.
It is a serious offense that can damage your freedom, finances and future employment. It can also have a devastating impact on your family life and your standing in your community.
Drug Crimes
As one of the states with some of the harshest drug laws, Louisiana prosecutors aggressively pursue charges related to possession, sale and cultivation. Even “simple” possession can result in significant jail time.
Carl Barkemeyer has experience handling both misdemeanor and felony drug charges in Louisiana. He understands how to fight the charges and often works with clients on addiction treatment programs to increase the chances of a positive outcome.
If you have been arrested on drug-related charges, talk to a lawyer immediately. He can help you understand the penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences. A knowledgeable attorney can also raise defenses like illegal search and seizure or entrapment. The consequences of a drug conviction can have lasting effects. The right criminal defense attorney can make all the difference in your case.
Murder or Manslaughter
Homicide charges are serious crimes, and the penalties are severe. An experienced and knowledgeable criminal lawyer can help to minimize the impact of these charges on a client’s life.
Murder and manslaughter are similar in that both involve the killing of another person, but there are significant differences in the circumstances resulting in the charges, as well as the potential sentence. For example, murder includes malice aforethought, while manslaughter does not.
A criminal lawyer can often help to reduce these charges to a lesser charge such as vehicular homicide or negligent homicide. This is because a skilled lawyer can identify and raise any applicable defenses that may be available to the client. For example, the lawyer could argue that the killing was justified in self-defense.
Felonies
Felonies are crimes that carry severe penalties such as long prison sentences. They are considered more serious than misdemeanors because they usually involve heinous acts that could cause significant injury or death to the victim, or high amounts of damage to property. They can also lead to a loss of rights and privileges including voting, professional licensing, and immigration status.
Whether you are charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, your case should be handled by a qualified criminal lawyer in louisiana as soon as possible. A felony conviction can affect your life in many ways including being denied employment, denied housing, rejected for school or professional organizations, banks refusing to lend you money, and being registered as a sex offender.
Your criminal lawyer can help you fight a felony charge by reviewing the evidence and determining whether there is sufficient proof to proceed with a prosecution. They can then help you build a solid defense to get your charges reduced or dismissed.
Misdemeanors
Defending misdemeanors requires knowledge of state laws and municipal court procedures. It is important to contact an experienced Louisiana criminal defense attorney right away.
In addition, criminal defense lawyers know how to negotiate with the prosecution to avoid a conviction. First-time offenders of alcohol or drug offenses, for example, may be eligible for diversion programs that keep the conviction off their permanent record.
A conviction of a misdemeanor crime can have serious consequences for your life, including jail time and fines. It can also impact your future employment, housing and educational opportunities, as well as your civil rights and freedoms.
It is essential that you be courteous to police officers and comply with their reasonable commands. If you are arrested, your attorney will work tirelessly to have the charges dismissed or reduced.
Expungement
Having a criminal record can seriously impact one’s life in many ways, including preventing people from getting the type of job they want or even qualifying for government assistance. Fortunately, Louisiana law allows people with arrests and convictions to have their records sealed or expunged if certain conditions are met.
However, the process is complicated and lengthy. It also can be costly. In addition to state police, private companies that request an individual’s criminal history must be notified of the change and some information clearinghouses take months to update their databases.
The state legislature has developed uniform rules and forms to assist individuals in filing expungements. A lawyer with expungement experience may help the process move more quickly and smoothly. He or she could also protect an individual’s rights and provide options he or she would not have had otherwise.