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Where will your Covington DWI case be heard?
A DWI from the Covington area is generally heard in the 22nd Judicial District Court at 701 N. Columbia Street. That court serves St. Tammany and Washington parishes and handles both felonies and misdemeanors from this part of the parish. The 22nd Judicial District Attorney's Office prosecutes from the same address.
If you were held after the arrest, the St. Tammany Parish Jail is nearby at 1200 Champagne Street. If someone you love is being held there, bail is the first thing to address.
When a DWI becomes a felony in St. Tammany Parish
A third DWI within the 10-year lookback is a felony. It carries a $2,000 fine and 1 to 5 years, with or without hard labor, and 1 year must be served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension. That year can be suspended if you enter a court-approved substance abuse treatment program through a drug division or DWI court.
Probation on a third offense includes 240 hours of community service, employment, driver improvement, treatment and at least 6 months of home incarceration. If the prosecutor asks, the court orders your vehicle seized and sold at auction. A fourth offense carries 10 to 30 years.
As of August 1, 2026, a third offense with a prior vehicular homicide, third degree feticide or first degree vehicular negligent injuring conviction carries 5 to 15 years.
Factors that raise the stakes
- High BAC: on a first offense, 0.15% or more means at least 48 hours served and a 2-year license suspension.
- A child in the car: if a passenger was 12 or younger, the minimum sentence cannot be suspended.
- An injury crash: impaired driving that causes serious bodily injury can be charged as first degree vehicular negligent injuring, a felony carrying up to 10 years.
Each of these makes early, careful defense work more important. The full picture is on our DWI and DUI defense page.
What happens after a DWI arrest in the 22nd JDC?
The case moves on a schedule set by Louisiana law. If you are held in jail, you must see a judge within 72 hours of arrest, not counting weekends and legal holidays, and bail can be set or reviewed then.
Next, the district attorney must formally charge you. For someone still in jail, that deadline is 30 days on a misdemeanor and 60 days on a felony. If you are out on bail, it is 90 days for a misdemeanor and 150 days for a felony. Arraignment, where you enter a plea, must follow within 30 days of the formal charge unless there is just cause for delay.
Barry tracks each of these dates. A missed deadline can mean release from jail or release from your bail obligation.
Keeping your license while the case is pending
The OMV suspension is separate from the court case, and it moves faster. You have 30 days from the arrest to request a hearing. After that, the suspension takes effect on its own.
A first failed test means 180 days, and a refusal means 1 year. At 0.15% or more, a first suspension lasts 2 years, but a hardship license with an ignition interlock is available for the full period. For refusals and tests under 0.15%, you are usually eligible for a restricted license right away once an interlock is installed. Call (504) 905-8399 so we can request the hearing in time.
How Barry defends Covington DWI cases
Barry served as a trial prosecutor in Orleans Parish, and he brings that view to every DWI. He gets the reports, videos and test records, then looks for what a prosecutor fears: a stop without a legal reason, sobriety tests given wrong, or breath test records that do not hold up. On a repeat or felony case, he also checks every prior conviction to see whether it truly counts.
Our Kenner office is about 40 to 45 minutes (roughly 35 miles) from Covington by the Causeway, and Barry offers remote consultations. Call (504) 905-8399 any time, day or night, for a free and confidential consultation.
Your first 24 to 72 hours
- If someone you love is in the parish jail, call us about bail right away.
- Find the citation and license receipt and note the arrest date. Day 30 is your OMV deadline.
- Write down the details of the stop and testing while they are fresh.
- List any prior DWI arrests with dates, even old ones.
For other charges, see our Covington criminal defense and St. Tammany Parish pages.