On this page
- Mayor's Court or district court: which one is yours?
- Do not treat a Mayor's Court summons like a parking ticket
- What happens if Mandeville police arrest you
- Charges Mandeville clients call us about
- Clearing an old Mandeville misdemeanor from your record
- A Kenner firm that crosses the Causeway for you
- Communities near Mandeville
Mayor's Court or district court: which one is yours?
Your paperwork answers this question, and it usually depends on the kind of charge and who wrote it. Mandeville Mayor's Court handles misdemeanor traffic summonses, misdemeanor arrests and violations of city ordinances. It meets at Mandeville City Hall, 3101 East Causeway Approach.
Felonies, and state charges that are not sent to the Mayor's Court, go to the 22nd Judicial District Court at 701 N. Columbia Street in Covington. That court serves both St. Tammany and Washington parishes, and the 22nd Judicial District Attorney's Office prosecutes the cases there.
Keep in mind that the court can change, for example if prosecutors upgrade a misdemeanor to a felony after reviewing the police report. If you are not sure which court you are in, call (504) 905-8399 and have your summons or bond paperwork in hand. We can tell you what it means and what happens next.
Do not treat a Mayor's Court summons like a parking ticket
A Mayor's Court case can still leave a mark on your record, so it is worth a call before you pay or plead. A guilty plea to a misdemeanor is a conviction, and it can come up later on job and housing background checks. A moving violation conviction is reported to the Office of Motor Vehicles and shows up on the driving record that insurers check.
Some charges that start out small carry real penalties. Reckless operation, for example, is a crime under Louisiana law, not just a traffic violation. A first offense can mean a fine of up to $200 and up to 90 days in jail.
Before you decide, read our guide on whether to pay a traffic ticket in Louisiana, or see how we handle traffic ticket defense.
What happens if Mandeville police arrest you
If you are taken into custody, you will most likely be booked at the St. Tammany Parish Jail, 1200 Champagne Street in Covington. From there, a judge must see you within 72 hours (weekends and legal holidays do not count) to advise you of your rights and set or review bail.
Not every arrest means jail. For example, possessing 14 grams of marijuana or less is now handled by summons, with a fine of up to $100 and no jail time. Larger amounts and other drugs are treated much more seriously. Possessing more than 14 grams of marijuana, for example, can mean up to 6 months in jail on a first offense. Our Louisiana marijuana laws guide explains the lines.
Charges Mandeville clients call us about
We defend Mandeville residents and visitors on both misdemeanor and felony charges. These include:
- DWI. First offenses, refusals and felony DWI. Start with our DWI defense page. Since many Mandeville DWI cases are prosecuted in Covington, our Covington DWI lawyer page is useful too.
- Drug charges. From possession to distribution.
- Battery and domestic cases. See battery defense and domestic violence defense.
- Theft and white collar charges. See white collar defense.
- Juvenile cases. Louisiana now prosecutes all 17-year-olds as adults, so parents should call early. See juvenile defense.
Clearing an old Mandeville misdemeanor from your record
Many old misdemeanors can be expunged, which removes them from public view. You are generally eligible after the conviction is set aside under Article 894, or once more than 5 years have passed since you finished your sentence with no felony conviction in that time.
Some misdemeanors cannot be expunged under that rule, including domestic abuse battery, stalking and sex offenses. That is one reason it pays to fight those charges hard from the start. Learn more in our Louisiana expungement guide or on our expungement page.
A Kenner firm that crosses the Causeway for you
Our Kenner office is about 35 to 40 minutes (roughly 30 miles) from Mandeville by way of the Causeway. Barry regularly handles cases across St. Tammany Parish, and Senior Partner John J. Mason also practices in St. Tammany.
When you call, have your summons, bond papers or any notice from the court nearby. The court name, case number and date on those papers tell us a lot about where your case stands and how much time we have to work with.
You can start with a remote consultation by phone or video, so you do not have to make the drive just to get answers. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (504) 905-8399, and your first consultation is free.
Communities near Mandeville
We also help clients from Old Mandeville, Lewisburg, Madisonville and Abita Springs. Courts for those areas can differ, since not every town has its own Mayor's Court, but felonies from anywhere in the parish end up at the 22nd JDC in Covington.
For the full picture of St. Tammany courts, jail and prosecutors, see our St. Tammany Parish criminal defense lawyer page.