Lafourche Parish Criminal Defense Lawyer With 17th JDC Experience

Barry has defended clients in the 17th Judicial District before

Barry S. Ranshi worked as a criminal defense attorney in the 17th Judicial District Court Public Defender's Office, the district that covers Lafourche Parish. That means he has stood beside clients in this courthouse, not just read about it.

His career also includes work as a staff attorney to an Orleans Parish criminal court judge and as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish. In his words, "I understand the inner workings of the criminal justice system and how the government goes about building cases." He uses that to look for weak points in the State's case.

If you have a case in Thibodaux, call (504) 905-8399 for a free, confidential consultation.

Which court will hear a Lafourche Parish charge?

Lafourche Parish criminal cases are heard by the 17th Judicial District Court at the Lafourche Parish Courthouse, 303 W. 3rd Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301. The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office prosecutes them.

Some misdemeanor and traffic matters from inside Thibodaux may be handled by Thibodaux City Court instead. The court named on your summons or bond paper tells you where to go. If you are unsure, send us a picture and we will check.

Not sure whether your charge is a felony? In Louisiana, any crime that can be punished with hard labor is a felony. Our felony vs. misdemeanor guide explains why that matters.

Booking at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex

People arrested in Lafourche Parish are generally held at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex, 2594 Veterans Boulevard, Thibodaux, run by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office. The complex opened in January 2019 and replaced the old Lafourche Parish Detention Center.

Here is a detail that trips up families: some directories, including a state corrections listing, still show the old detention center address on Highway 3185. If you are trying to visit, send money or arrange bond, use the Veterans Boulevard address and confirm with the Sheriff's Office.

Once you know where your loved one is, the next question is whether a bond has been set and whether anything else, such as a probation hold or an old warrant from another parish, is keeping them there. A lawyer can find that out and start working on release.

Steps after an arrest in Thibodaux, Raceland or Golden Meadow

Louisiana law gives every arrested person a few key protections in the first days after arrest:

1. Booking at the correctional complex on Veterans Boulevard.
2. A probable cause check within 48 hours if the arrest was made without a warrant.
3. A first appearance before a judge within 72 hours, not counting weekends and legal holidays. If it does not happen, the law says the person must be released on their own recognizance.
4. Bail. Most people are entitled to bail before trial. The judge considers the charge, criminal history, flight risk and danger to others.
5. Charging deadlines. If the person stays in jail, the DA generally has 60 days to file a felony charge and 30 for a misdemeanor.

Learn more in how bail works in Louisiana.

How can families help someone arrested in Lafourche Parish?

Families can help most by calling a lawyer early and gathering information the judge will want to see. Try to:

• Write down the full name, date of birth, charge and arresting agency.
• Collect proof of a job, school, military service or family responsibilities.
• Keep conversations about the facts off jail phones and social media.
• If the person is on probation, tell the lawyer right away. A probation hold can keep someone in jail even after bond is posted.

We answer (504) 905-8399 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Probation violations in the 17th Judicial District

If you are on probation in Lafourche Parish and missed an appointment, failed a test or fell behind on payments, you may be facing a revocation hearing. These hearings are decided by a judge, without a jury, and the State only has to meet a lower burden than at trial.

The law now limits jail for many technical violations. For offenses committed on or after August 1, 2024, and for people not on probation for a crime of violence or sex offense, a first technical revocation is capped at 15 days in jail, then 30 days for a second and 45 days for a third or more. Afterward, the person returns to probation.

A new arrest is treated more seriously and can lead to full revocation. See our probation violations page.

Domestic abuse battery charges in Lafourche Parish

A domestic abuse battery charge carries consequences that last long after the case ends, so it deserves a serious defense from day one. Even a first offense in Lafourche Parish brings mandatory jail time if you are convicted.

• First offense: $300 to $1,000 fine and 30 days to 6 months in jail, with at least 48 hours served. Probation requires either 4 days in jail or 64 hours of community service, plus a court-monitored intervention program of 26 weekly sessions.
• Second offense: 60 days to 1 year, with at least 14 days served.
• Firearms: a conviction bars you from having a gun for 10 years under Louisiana law, and federal law bans firearms for life after a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• Your record: domestic abuse battery convictions cannot be expunged under Louisiana's misdemeanor expungement law.

Read our domestic abuse battery guide and our domestic violence defense page.

From Thibodaux down the bayou: communities and charges

We represent people across Lafourche Parish, including Thibodaux, Raceland, Lockport, Larose, Cut Off, Galliano and Golden Meadow. Our Kenner office is about 55 to 65 minutes (roughly 52 miles) from the courthouse in Thibodaux, and remote consultations are available.

Charges we defend in Lafourche Parish include:

• DWI, including the 30-day OMV hearing deadline
• Drug charges
• Domestic violence and battery
• Weapons charges
• Juvenile cases
• Expungements

See our Thibodaux criminal defense lawyer page for city details.