1. Sara A. Johnson, Attorney at Law, LLC
Practice Focus: Federal criminal defense, white-collar crimes, healthcare fraud, public corruption, appellate practice
Case Types Handled: Federal crimes, healthcare fraud (Medicaid/Medicare), bank fraud, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, contractor fraud, public corruption, sex crimes, drug offenses, grand jury proceedings
Legal Services: Trial defense in federal and state courts, appeals to Louisiana appellate courts and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, grand jury representation, immunity negotiations, motion practice, plea negotiations, expungements, professional license defense
Background: Sara A. Johnson graduated from Tulane University Law School in 2007 and has practiced law for over 17 years. She is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Louisiana, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. She is also licensed in New York and Texas. Ms. Johnson teaches Advanced Criminal Practice at Tulane University Law School and previously taught Constitutional Criminal Procedure. She serves on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Federal Bar Association and is a member of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (Louisiana Chapter Secretary). Selected to Super Lawyers for 2019-2024 and named to New Orleans Magazine’s Top Lawyers List since 2019.
Location: 700 Camp Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Contact: (504) 528-9500 | https://www.sarajohnsonlaw.com
Consultation: Contact office to schedule consultation
2. Murell Law (Christopher Murell and Meghan Matt)
Practice Focus: Serious felony defense, capital cases, wrongful conviction litigation, civil rights cases, murder defense, federal criminal defense
Case Types Handled: Murder and homicide, attempted murder, drug offenses, gun charges, federal crimes, misdemeanors, juvenile cases tried as adults, wrongful conviction appeals, civil rights violations, abortion defense
Legal Services: Trial defense, appeals and post-conviction relief, federal civil rights litigation, motion practice, warrant recalls, preliminary hearings, bail hearings, exoneration cases, capital defense
Background: Christopher Murell holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law (2006), where he was an Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Fellow. He began his career as a Georgia Capital Defender and later served with the Orleans Public Defenders Office, where he co-founded the capital trial division. He achieved First Chair Capital Certification by the Louisiana Public Defender Board and attended the National Criminal Defense College. He previously served as Executive Director of both the Capital Appeals Project and the Promise of Justice Initiative. Murell has secured acquittals in murder trials and had a death sentence overturned by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Honored by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for outstanding work on the federal CJA panel. Meghan Matt has been inducted into Blackstone’s Order twice.
Location: 4005 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117
Contact: (504) 300-9292 | [email protected] | [email protected] | https://www.murell.law
Consultation: Contact office for consultation
3. NOLA Criminal Law (Townsend Myers)
Practice Focus: DUI/DWI defense, drug possession, felony defense, misdemeanor defense, municipal court defense, expungements, traffic violations, tourist defense
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug possession, traffic tickets, theft, assault, domestic violence, municipal code violations
Legal Services: Trial defense, plea negotiations, record expungement, municipal court representation, traffic court defense, court appearances on behalf of out-of-town clients
Background: Townsend Myers graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1993 and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina Honors College (1989). He began his career as an assistant public defender with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office in Chicago, then served with the Orleans Parish Public Defender’s Office from 1996 before establishing NOLA Criminal Law in 1998. He has handled over 4,000 felony criminal cases, hundreds of DWI cases, and countless misdemeanor and traffic cases throughout his 30+ year career. He practices exclusively criminal defense and is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Louisiana.
Location: 4907 Magazine Street, Suite 5, New Orleans, LA 70115
Contact: (504) 571-9529 | [email protected] | https://nolacriminallaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
4. Stephen D. Hebert, LLC – Attorney at Law
Practice Focus: Criminal defense, DUI/DWI defense, felony and misdemeanor defense, personal injury
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug possession, theft, battery, murder, domestic violence, white-collar crimes, federal crimes
Legal Services: Trial defense in state and federal courts, plea negotiations, motion practice, appeals, representation in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Jefferson Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Background: Stephen D. Hebert earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Loyola University-New Orleans and was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 2002. He began his career as a law clerk to the Honorable Marc T. Amy at the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. He then served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, where he managed the docket of three sections of Criminal District Court as Section Senior, handled cases as a special prosecutor in Calcasieu and East Baton Rouge Parishes, and tried numerous judge and jury trials. He also worked at King, LeBlanc & Bland, P.L.L.C. handling commercial litigation. He started his private practice in 2010. Selected to Super Lawyers (2015-2024), maintains Martindale-Hubbell’s AV-Preeminent rating, and named to New Orleans Magazine’s Top Lawyers List. He has served as an adjunct faculty member and guest lecturer.
Location: 700 Camp Street, Suite 216, New Orleans, LA 70130 (additional office in Gretna)
Contact: (504) 528-9500 Ext. 216 | https://www.stephendhebert.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
5. Phillips Law (Bradley Phillips)
Practice Focus: Criminal defense, personal injury, DUI defense, municipal court defense
Case Types Handled: Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug offenses, domestic violence, theft, burglary, sexual assault, homicide, manslaughter, traffic violations
Legal Services: Trial defense, arraignment representation, bail hearings, plea negotiations, motion practice, record expungement, probation violation hearings
Background: Phillips Law has represented over 1,000 criminal cases in more than 15 years of practice across Southeast Louisiana. The firm serves clients in Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, and surrounding areas. The practice provides representation from initial arrest through trial and appeals.
Location: New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana
Contact: (504) 434-7000 | https://nolacriminaldefense.com
Consultation: Free 30-minute consultation available
Criminal Defense Regulations in Louisiana
Louisiana requires all attorneys to be admitted to the Louisiana State Bar Association, which is headquartered at 601 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130. Bar admission requires passing the Louisiana Bar Examination and meeting character and fitness requirements. Louisiana does not currently offer board certification in criminal law through the state bar; however, attorneys may hold certifications from other recognized bodies.
The Louisiana Public Defender system operates under the Louisiana Public Defender Board, which oversees indigent defense services statewide. Eligibility for public defender services is determined based on financial need, typically when a defendant’s income falls below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Louisiana follows a unique system for felony classification that does not use traditional Class A, B, C designations. Instead, the state specifies penalties for each crime individually in the Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 14. Crimes are generally classified as felonies (punishable by imprisonment “at hard labor” in state prison) or misdemeanors (punishable by imprisonment in parish jail, typically up to 6 months for most offenses, though some carry up to 2 years).
Regarding speedy trial requirements under Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 701: When in custody, an indictment must be filed within 30 days for misdemeanors and 60 days for felonies (120 days for capital crimes). After filing a motion for speedy trial, felony trials must commence within 120 days if in custody or 180 days if not in custody; misdemeanor trials must commence within 30 days if in custody or 60 days if not.
Louisiana maintains the death penalty, and capital defense requires specialized certification through the Louisiana Public Defender Board. Capital cases must be tried by 12-person juries and require unanimous verdicts.
Louisiana’s expungement laws are codified in Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 971-993. Expungement removes records from public access but does not destroy them. Eligible cases include arrests that did not result in conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions (after waiting periods and successful completion of probation under Article 894), and certain first-offense felonies (under Article 893). The standard expungement fee is capped at $550. Some offenses, including sex offenses requiring registration, crimes against minors, and certain violent crimes, are ineligible for expungement.
Louisiana attorneys must complete 12.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education annually, including at least 1 hour in ethics/professionalism. Attorney advertising is governed by Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct Rules 7.1-7.7, which prohibit false or misleading communications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court system work, and what happens at my first court appearance?
A: Orleans Parish Criminal District Court has 12 trial sections. After arrest, your case is reviewed by the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, which decides whether to accept charges (by Bill of Information) or refuse them. If charges are accepted, the case is randomly allotted to one of the trial sections and set for arraignment. At arraignment, you are formally advised of the charges, informed of your rights, and asked to enter a plea (typically not guilty at this stage). If you cannot afford an attorney, the Orleans Public Defenders may be appointed. The arraignment must be set within 30 days after the filing of a Bill of Information unless just cause for delay is shown.
Q: What are the bail and pretrial release procedures in Orleans Parish?
A: After arrest in Orleans Parish, you will have a first appearance (also called a magistrate hearing) within 48 hours if arrested without a warrant, where a judge determines probable cause and sets initial bail. Louisiana law provides for various forms of pretrial release, including release on personal recognizance, unsecured personal surety, bail bonds through commercial bondsmen, or cash deposits. The amount is determined based on the nature of the offense, criminal history, flight risk, and danger to the community. Bail bond companies in Louisiana typically charge 10-15% of the bail amount as a non-refundable fee.
Q: What are the potential penalties for a first-offense DWI in Louisiana?
A: A first-offense DWI in Louisiana is a misdemeanor. Penalties may include: imprisonment from 10 days to 6 months (may be suspended in favor of probation), fines from $300 to $1,000, completion of a court-approved substance abuse program, community service hours, and driver’s license suspension for up to 1 year. If blood alcohol content was 0.15% or higher, additional penalties apply, including mandatory ignition interlock device installation. DWI convictions in Louisiana are not eligible for expungement.
Q: Does Louisiana have pretrial diversion or alternative sentencing programs?
A: Yes. Orleans Parish and other Louisiana jurisdictions offer various diversion and alternative sentencing programs. These may include: Drug Court programs for substance abuse offenders, Mental Health Court for defendants with mental health conditions, Veterans Treatment Court for eligible military veterans, and pretrial diversion programs for certain first-time offenders. Successful completion of these programs may result in charge dismissal and potential expungement eligibility. Eligibility varies based on the offense type, criminal history, and program availability.
Q: What records can be expunged in Louisiana, and how long must I wait?
A: Louisiana allows expungement of arrests that did not result in conviction immediately after dismissal, acquittal, or if charges were never filed. For convictions entered under Article 894 (misdemeanors) or Article 893 (certain first-time felonies), you must first successfully complete probation and have the conviction set aside by the court. After set-aside, you may file for expungement. General waiting periods apply: 5 years from completion of sentence for misdemeanors, 10 years for certain felonies. Violent crimes, sex offenses, crimes against minors, and certain other serious offenses are permanently ineligible for expungement. The filing fee is $550, though fee waivers may be available for qualifying individuals.