Baton Rouge Criminal Law Attorney

An Overview of Our Criminal Defense Practice

When you hire me to defend you on a criminal charge, I will conduct a thorough investigation of the facts and circumstances of your arrest, including the tactics employed by law enforcement officers to obtain evidence against you. I will verify that there was probable cause for any search, seizure or arrest, and that you were notified of your rights before making any statements. I will defend you and make the prosecution prove that they have the facts and evidence necessary before they prosecute you.

An Overview of Our Criminal Defense Practice

I provide comprehensive counsel to people in Louisiana facing felony or misdemeanor charges, including:

  • DWI/DUI or drunk driving, from the administrative hearing regarding the suspension or revocation of your driving privileges to the criminal proceeding to determine penalties with over 1,000 cases handled since 1983.
  • Drug offenses such as possession, sale or distribution, and manufacturing or cultivation of marijuana, cocaine, prescription pills, designer drugs, etc.
  • Domestic violence or sexual abuse, including assault and battery, criminal sexual abuse and accusations of non-consensual sex.
  • Weapons crimes, from illegal sale or possession of a firearm to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
  • Theft offenses such as embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and shoplifting.
  • Traffic violations such as hit-and-run, reckless driving, operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked license and failure to obey traffic signs, signals or laws.

When you hire me to defend you on a criminal charge, I will conduct a thorough investigation of the facts and circumstances of your arrest, including the tactics employed by law enforcement officers to obtain evidence against you. I will verify that there was probable cause for any search, seizure or arrest, and that you were notified of your rights before making any statements. I will defend you and make the prosecution prove that they have the facts and evidence necessary before they prosecute you.

Criminal Defense Practice

Domestic Violence Crimes

I aggressively protect the rights of people who have been charged with domestic violence, including sexual abuse or sex crimes. I handle all matters related to your defense, interrogating witnesses and gathering relevant evidence, preparing and filing motions or other documents and acting as your advocate in all hearings or proceedings, including requests for protective or restraining orders. I defend individuals charged with any type of domestic violence, including:

  • Physical assault and battery
  • Sexual assault or battery, including allegations of subjecting a spouse or partner to rough sex
  • Use of or exposure to verbal or visual obscenities

I know from experience that allegations of domestic violence or sexual abuse can often mask ulterior motives such as attempts to gain advantage in a divorce or child custody proceeding, or efforts to punish a partner or spouse for infidelity or similar acts. When you hire me to defend you on domestic violence/sexual abuse charges, I will conduct an exhaustive investigation of the facts and circumstances of your case. I will question witnesses, including your accuser, looking for evidence of a hidden agenda. I will also confirm that police and prosecutors did not violate your constitutional rights.

Drug Crimes

I handle the defense of all types of drug crimes, from possession charges to sale or distribution to manufacturing or cultivation. I protect the rights of people in cases involving most types of controlled substances, from crystal meth to cocaine to marijuana. I also take cases involving prescription drugs.

When you hire me to defend you on drug charges, I will fully investigate the facts and circumstances of your arrest. I will carefully review the actions of police and prosecutors to determine whether there was probable cause for any search, seizure or arrest, and whether you were notified of your Miranda rights if taken into custody. I will also look for any evidence that may diminish the credibility of witnesses against you or that supports a defense.

Because of my experience and knowledge, if your guilt can be proven, I can often work with prosecutors to minimize the consequences of a plea agreement or conviction by getting you involved in a pretrial diversion program, drug treatment or some form of rehabilitation. In some circumstances, upon completion of the diversionary program and a period without any further criminal problems, you can have the charges against you dropped.

DWI-DUI Crimes

I handle all matters related to drunk driving charges, from the administrative hearing to determine the status of your driving privileges to the criminal trial to establish guilt or innocence, as well as your sentence if that occurs. I work with first-time as well as repeat offenders. When appropriate, I will help you pursue rehabilitation or recovery options and will work with prosecutors to minimize the penalties you face.

When you hire me to defend you on a charge of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence, I will carefully examine the details of your arrest, starting with a review of whether or not police or law enforcement officers had probable cause to pull you over. If you were detained at a sobriety checkpoint, I will investigate the procedure the police used to determine if your constitutional rights were violated during this invasion of your privacy. There are safeguards that the police should have followed. I will also confirm that you were properly advised of your constitutional rights if taken into custody. I will look at police reports and question witnesses to verify that blood alcohol and field sobriety tests were correctly administered and will review how evidence was handled, so that any potentially tainted Breathalyzer or BAC results are not used against you. I will prepare to go to trial with you to make sure that the police accusing you show up and are ready with necessary evidence before any plea deal is contemplated. If they are not ready and prepared, we try the case and should win.

Theft Crimes

If you are a suspect in a theft crime investigation, or have been arrested or charged with a property crime, you want an experienced lawyer to protect your constitutional rights. The consequences of a conviction can be devastating. In addition to fines and penalties, such as jail time, you could lose your job and disqualify yourself from working in certain occupations. You want an attorney who understands the law and process, who has obtained positive results for others in situations like yours.

At the office of G. Stephen Covert, I have 30 years of criminal defense experience and the considerable knowledge, skill and resources to help you pursue the outcome you want. I will handle all matters in your case; you will never be handed off to an inexperienced associate or staff member. I know how important it can be to speak with your attorney. I work hard to be available and accessible when you have questions or concerns and always return e-mails and phone calls in a timely manner.

Weapons Charge Crimes

Weapons crimes, from illegal sale or possession of a firearm to being a felon in possession of a firearm

CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Contact the Law Office of G. Stephen Covert To schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Baton Rouge criminal defense attorney, contact me online or call my office at 225-383-0101. I will meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. My office is downtown, near the courthouse, with plenty of free parking available.