Trusted DUI and DWI Defense Lawyer in Jonesville, LA
What a Jonesville DWI Arrest Actually Means for You
A DWI charge does not have to define you. What you do next may shape how much of this sticks: your license, your job, your record.
A DWI arrest starts two cases at once, one for your license, one for your record. Miss a step in either, and it can cost you before your case is even heard.
Christopher LaCour spent years as a public defender assigned Louisiana’s most serious felony cases before founding LaCour Law Firm in 2010. He brings that same trial-tested defense to DWI arrests out of Jonesville and Catahoula Parish.
| Louisiana Bar Since 2010 | Former Public Defender, Life-Sentence Caseload | Third Circuit Court of Appeal Experience | Avvo Verified, No Misconduct Found |
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DWI and DUI Charges We Defend Out of Catahoula Parish
Louisiana charges impaired driving under one law, but the penalties escalate fast, and the specific charge on your paperwork changes what you are actually facing.
- First-offense DWI, including cases built on breath or blood test results
- Second-offense DWI, a misdemeanor with steeper minimum jail time and fines
- Third-offense DWI, a felony carrying mandatory prison time, where the 10-year look-back period decides whether a charge counts as a third offense at all
- Felony DWI charges carrying prison time and long-term license consequences
- DWI charges involving prescription medication, cannabis, or another controlled substance
- Refusal cases, where declining a chemical test still triggers a license suspension
- Out-of-state DWI charges that count toward a Louisiana look-back period
What Louisiana’s Impaired Driving Law Means for Your License, Job, and Record
Louisiana law makes it illegal to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more, or while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both, under R.S. 14:98, recently renamed from operating while intoxicated to operating while impaired.
A first offense can mean jail time, a fine, mandatory substance abuse classes, and a license suspension. A second or third offense inside a 10-year look-back window raises the stakes further, with longer jail time, higher fines, and mandatory alcohol treatment. A felony DWI can mean prison time and years without a license.
Ask yourself what a suspended license actually costs you. It is not just the drive to work. It is the job itself if you cannot get there, the insurance increase that follows for years, and the professional license some employers require you to keep clean.
The right defense from the start changes which of these penalties you are actually facing, and sometimes whether you face a conviction at all.
This page reflects Louisiana impaired driving law as of August 2026. LaCour Law Firm reviews this information quarterly to keep it current.
Your License and Your Court Case Run on Two Different Clocks
A DWI arrest in Louisiana starts two cases that move independently of each other. The first is the criminal defense, prosecuted through the 7th Judicial District Court, which sits at the Catahoula Parish Courthouse in Harrisonburg for cases arrested out of Jonesville and the rest of the parish. The second is an administrative case run by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, which can suspend your license even if the criminal case is later reduced or dismissed.
You have 30 days from your arrest date to request an administrative hearing and challenge that suspension. Miss the deadline, and the suspension takes effect automatically, whatever happens later in your criminal case. Both cases need attention from day one, not just the one that feels more serious.
Answers to the Questions Jonesville Drivers Ask First
Do I need a DWI lawyer right away if I was arrested in Jonesville?
Yes. You have 30 days from your arrest to request an administrative hearing and protect your license, and evidence in your criminal case is strongest when it is gathered early. Waiting costs you options in both cases.
How much does a first-offense DWI cost in Louisiana?
Beyond court fines, a first offense can mean an ignition interlock device, mandatory substance abuse classes, higher insurance crime rates for years, and a license suspension. The real cost depends on your blood alcohol level, your record, and how your case is handled.
Will a DWI stay on my record forever in Louisiana?
A conviction can stay on your record for good. Louisiana only allows expungement of a first or second DWI conviction, and only after you meet a waiting period and other court requirements. A felony DWI (a third offense or later) generally cannot be expunged. Even an expunged DWI can still be used against you if you are charged again within Louisiana’s 10-year look-back window.
What if I refused the breath test when I was arrested?
Refusing still triggers an automatic license suspension under Louisiana’s implied consent rules, and it can be used against you in court. You still have 30 days to request an administrative hearing to fight that suspension.
Whatever question brought you here, the sooner we know your situation, the more of these options stay open.
Talk to a Jonesville DWI Attorney Before Your 30 Days Run Out
You do not have to sort out an administrative hearing deadline and a criminal case on your own. Contact LaCour Law Firm today to go over what happened, what deadlines apply to your case, and what your options actually look like from here.
