On this page
- The 21st Judicial District Court in Amite
- City and mayor's courts in Hammond and Ponchatoula
- What to expect after an arrest in Tangipahoa Parish
- We make the drive up I-55
- How families can help someone held in Amite
- Underage DWI: what drivers under 21 should know
- Drug charges in Tangipahoa Parish: what the law says
- Communities and charges across Tangipahoa Parish
The 21st Judicial District Court in Amite
Every felony charged in Tangipahoa Parish is heard by the 21st Judicial District Court at 110 North Bay Street, Amite, LA 70422. Amite, sometimes called Amite City, is the parish seat. Cases are prosecuted by the 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office.
The 21st JDC is a three-parish district. It also covers Livingston and St. Helena parishes, so the same court and DA's office handle cases from all three. That matters because a person with charges in more than one of these parishes may be dealing with the same prosecutors in each case.
City and mayor's courts in Hammond and Ponchatoula
Many misdemeanors and traffic cases in Tangipahoa Parish never reach Amite. They are heard in local courts instead:
- Ponchatoula Mayor's Court, which meets at Ponchatoula City Hall, handles adult misdemeanors, traffic and code enforcement under state law and city ordinances for violations inside city limits.
- Hammond also has a city court for misdemeanor and traffic cases that arise within its jurisdiction.
Your ticket or bond paper names the court. If it lists one of these local courts, your case is not in Amite, at least for now. If the charge is a felony, or is later upgraded, it moves to the 21st JDC.
See our Hammond criminal defense lawyer and Ponchatoula criminal defense lawyer pages for local details.
What to expect after an arrest in Tangipahoa Parish
People arrested in Tangipahoa Parish are generally booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail at 101 Campo Lane, Amite, LA 70422, which is run by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. Arrests can also be made by city police in places like Hammond and Ponchatoula, or by State Police.
- Booking at the parish jail in Amite.
- Probable cause review within 48 hours if there was no warrant.
- First appearance before a judge within 72 hours, not counting weekends and legal holidays, where bail is set or reviewed.
- Formal charges from the 21st JDC District Attorney. For a jailed person, the deadline is generally 60 days for a felony and 30 days for a misdemeanor.
- Arraignment within 30 days of the charge, then discovery, motions and trial or resolution.
Our after-arrest guide covers your rights at each step.
We make the drive up I-55
Yes, we come to Amite. Tangipahoa is one of the eight parishes Barry lists in his practice. The 21st JDC is about 65 to 75 minutes (roughly 70 miles) from our Kenner office, and Hammond is closer, at about 50 to 55 minutes.
One client's friend described it this way in an Avvo review: "He kept My friend out of jail. This attorney goes above and beyond. He drove quite aways to attend court hearing." Every case is different, and past results do not predict future outcomes, but we do not treat distance as a reason to cut corners.
Not ready to drive to Kenner? We offer remote consultations, and the first consultation is free and confidential. Call (504) 905-8399 any time, day or night.
How families can help someone held in Amite
The most useful thing you can do is get organized quickly and call a lawyer before the first appearance. Here is a short list:
- Confirm the full name, date of birth and charge.
- Find out which agency made the arrest and which court is listed.
- Gather proof of work, school and family ties for the bail hearing.
- Keep your own conversations about the case off jail phones and social media.
If bail is set too high, a lawyer can ask the court to lower it. See our bail and bond hearings page, or call (504) 905-8399 and we will walk you through it.
Underage DWI: what drivers under 21 should know
Drivers under 21 in Louisiana can be charged with underage operating while impaired at a blood alcohol level of just 0.02%. At 0.08% or more, an under-21 driver is charged under the adult DWI law instead.
- A first underage conviction carries a $100 to $250 fine and 10 days to 3 months in jail. The jail can be suspended with probation that includes 32 hours of community service and substance abuse and driver improvement programs.
- On the license side, a driver under 21 who tests at 0.02% or more faces a 180-day suspension.
- The deadline to request an OMV hearing is the same as for adults: 30 days from the arrest.
A young person's record and license can follow them into school and work for years. Parents should call a lawyer quickly rather than waiting for the first court date.
Drug charges in Tangipahoa Parish: what the law says
Drug penalties in Louisiana depend on the drug, the weight and whether the State says you intended to sell. A few verified examples:
- Marijuana, 14 grams or less: enforced by summons, with a fine of up to $100 and no jail.
- Marijuana over 14 grams, first offense: up to $500 and up to 6 months.
- Distribution or possession with intent near a school, church, day care or other listed place (within 2,000 feet) can raise the maximum prison term by up to one and a half times.
- Fentanyl distribution under 28 grams: 5 to 40 years at hard labor.
The line between simple possession and possession with intent is often where a case is won or lost. Read possession vs. possession with intent, and see our Hammond drug lawyer page.
Communities and charges across Tangipahoa Parish
We represent people from Hammond, Ponchatoula, Amite, Independence, Kentwood and Tickfaw. Charges we defend in the parish include:
- DWI in Hammond and across the parish
- Drug possession and distribution
- Domestic violence and violent crimes
- Theft and fraud
- Sex crimes
- Expungements
One more local detail: for federal cases, Tangipahoa Parish belongs to the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, while Livingston and St. Helena are in the Middle District in Baton Rouge. Barry is admitted in the Eastern District. See federal criminal defense.