Jobs that seem out of reach, rental applications that disappear without a clear reason, professional licensure held up, relationships tested more than you imagined. Many people don’t realize how quietly a criminal record rewrites the rules of everyday life. It’s hard to avoid the stigma that comes with a criminal record even if your sentence is served and the court date is behind you.
At Dewey & Braud Law, our criminal defense and expungement lawyers in Baton Rouge work to reduce or remove criminal charges from your record. We help you determine whether you’re eligible for expungement, defend your rights in court, and handle all legal paperwork so your charges no longer appear on background checks.
One conversation with us could be the key to opening doors you thought were closed. Reach out to Dewey & Braud Law today.
How a Criminal Record Can Affect Your Every Day Life
Even minor convictions that you thought were long behind you can continue to affect opportunities and interactions for years. The impact of a criminal record isn’t limited to serious legal consequences. It can shape your career, finances, housing, education, and personal relationships.
Some of the ways a criminal record can touch everyday life include:
- Employment Challenges and Job Prospects: Employers routinely check criminal history, and even minor convictions can make it harder to get hired, advance in your career, or secure professional licenses.
Impact on Credit and Financial Opportunities: Lenders and insurers may view a criminal record as a risk factor, affecting your ability to get loans, credit cards, or favorable insurance rates. - Housing and Rental Application Difficulties: Landlords often perform background checks, and a criminal record can lead to higher deposits, stricter lease terms, or outright denials.
- Effects on Educational Opportunities and Scholarships: Certain convictions may limit eligibility for scholarships, financial aid, or admission to educational programs, altering long-term career and personal growth plans.
- Social Stigma and Personal Relationships: The visibility of a criminal record can affect how friends, family, and community members perceive you, sometimes straining important relationships.
Legal and Civic Consequences
A criminal conviction impacts more than just daily life. It can affect fundamental legal and civic rights, like voting rights, employment opportunities, and access to housing. Working with a dedicated criminal defense firm can help you expunge your record or reduce charges while keeping your basic rights intact.
Voting Rights and Civic Participation Restrictions
A criminal conviction can temporarily suspend your right to vote and limit participation in civic duties like jury service. In Louisiana, voting rights are generally restored once your sentence has been served or five years after being released from prison, whichever comes first. Some election-related offenses may cause permanent disenfranchisement. Expungement can help protect or restore certain civic rights, allowing you to fully engage in elections and community activities again.
Firearms Possession Prohibitions
Certain criminal convictions restrict or permanently bar your right to own or possess firearms. This affects personal safety, recreational activities like hunting, and jobs in security or law enforcement. Under Louisiana law, many felony convictions prohibit firearm possession for 10 years after completing the sentence. However, federal law can impose permanent bans regardless of state rules. Expungement may sometimes help remove these restrictions or prevent convictions from showing on background checks, but regaining gun rights is complex and often requires legal help.
License Suspensions and Driving Privileges
Convictions for offenses like DUI or reckless driving can lead to license suspensions or restrictions, affecting commuting, work, and daily life. Even minor offenses may result in long-term consequences including higher insurance rates and difficulty holding jobs that require driving. Louisiana may suspend driving privileges automatically upon conviction for certain crimes, sometimes for months or years. Expungement can sometimes help restore driving privileges or limit how a conviction appears on background checks related to licenses.
What Is Considered a Criminal Conviction in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, a criminal conviction means a court has found you guilty of a criminal charge, whether through a trial or a plea agreement. Convictions can include both misdemeanors and felonies. Even if you received probation, a suspended sentence, or paid only a fine, it still shows up as a conviction on your record.
Because Louisiana maintains detailed public records, these convictions can appear on background checks long after the case is closed, affecting employment, housing, and other areas of life.
Differences Between Felonies, Misdemeanors, and Infractions
Felonies
You can be charged with a felony for any number of crimes, including burglary, drug distribution, or violent offenses. Felonies often result in prison time, high fines, and the loss of rights like voting or owning firearms. Based on the nature of these crimes, felonies make it harder to apply for jobs, housing, or licenses. Some charges may be expunged after a waiting period, but many are not. Waiting periods for felony expungement in Louisiana include:
- First-time non-violent felonies: Immediate eligibility after sentence/probation completion (no 10-year wait)
- Other felonies: Waiting period of 5 to 10 years after completing the sentence, with no intervening convictions
Violent crimes, sex offenses, and certain drug trafficking crimes are generally excluded from expungement eligibility. Expungement helps remove convictions from public records, aiding in improving employment and housing opportunities. If you were charged with a felony offense, Dewey & Braud Law has felony defense lawyers who are ready to discuss your expungement eligibility and begin clearing your record.
Misdemeanors
Misdemeanors cover less serious crimes like petty theft, simple drug possession, or first-time DUI. Punishments can include fines, probation, or short jail sentences. Even though they carry lighter penalties than felonies, they still show up on background checks and can limit opportunities. Many misdemeanors can be expunged after meeting the state’s requirements with an expungement lawyer representing your best interests.
There are two main pathways to expunge misdemeanor records:
- Deferred adjudication under Article 894, where the court sets aside the conviction after a probationary period without further offenses, dismissing the charges as if acquitted. This dismissal allows immediate expungement.
- Standard expungement under Article 977, which requires completion of all sentencing, probation, or parole and a waiting period of five years from sentence completion without any felony convictions or pending felony charges.
Expungement is generally available once every five years for misdemeanors, and once every ten years for DWIs under Article 977. It’s important to remember Louisiana prohibits denial of expungement solely based on court debt, and expungement is considered mandatory if eligibility criteria are met.
Infractions
Infractions are minor violations, often things like traffic tickets or city ordinance issues. They usually only involve fines and don’t carry jail time. While they rarely affect employment or housing, they can still show up on driving or insurance records. Expungement isn’t typically necessary, but handling infractions properly prevents small problems from becoming bigger ones.
Addressing or Mitigating a Criminal Record in Louisiana
Even with a criminal record, there are legal options you can pursue that may help restore opportunities and reduce the impact on your life. Exploring what’s available gives you the chance to reclaim opportunities and move toward a future that isn’t defined by your past.
Expungement and Sealing of Records
Expungement and record sealing are legal tools that can remove or limit the visibility of certain convictions on your criminal record. This process can improve your chances of employment, housing, and educational opportunities by preventing past convictions from appearing on most background checks. Not every conviction is eligible, but many misdemeanors and some felonies can be addressed through expungement.
Conditional Dismissals and Plea Negotiations
Conditional dismissals and plea negotiations allow courts to reduce or set aside charges under specific conditions, like completing probation or community service. Successfully completing these agreements can prevent a conviction from permanently appearing on your record or reduce its severity. These options can be an effective way to mitigate the long-term impact of a charge, especially for first-time or lower-level offenses.
Pardons and Restoration of Rights
A pardon or restoration of rights is a legal avenue to remove some of the civil and civic restrictions that come with a conviction. Pardons can restore voting rights, professional licensure eligibility, and other privileges affected by a criminal record. While the process can be complex, it provides a path to reclaim opportunities and regain full participation in civic life.
How Dewey & Braud Law Can Help
At Dewey & Braud Law, we handle a wide range of criminal matters including expungements, criminal defense, DUI offenses, violent crimes, and sex crimes, and more. Our team understands the impact a criminal record can have and is dedicated to helping you move forward.
How we can help:
- Offer a free consultation to review your criminal record and discuss available options.
- Guide you through your case with expertise in criminal defense and expungement law.
- Review your record and determine eligibility for expungement.
- Explore additional ways to reduce the impact of past convictions on your life.
- Handle all necessary paperwork and court filings on your behalf.
- Represent you in court to protect your rights throughout the process.
- Provide experienced legal support to help transform your record into a fresh start.
With Dewey & Braud Law by your side, you gain an experienced legal team focused on protecting your rights and helping you overcome the challenges of your record to start a new chapter.
Contact Dewey & Braud Law for a Free Consultation
At Dewey & Braud Law, our Baton Rouge criminal defense and expungement attorneys guide you through the process of reviewing your record, exploring expungement eligibility, and protecting your rights. Even a free consultation can give you a clear understanding of the steps you can take to minimize the long-term effects of past convictions. Reach out today to discuss your legal options.
