Lake Charles Expungement Attorneys

Former Calcasieu Parish ADA Handling Expungements in Lake Charles

Contact Sudduth & Associates, LLC at (337) 282-9003 for a confidential consultation.

James E. Sudduth III served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Calcasieu Parish DA’s Office before being promoted to Misdemeanor Section Chief. That’s the same office that must certify expungement petitions in felony cases before a judge can grant relief. When we handle your expungement, we understand how that certification process works from the inside. Combined with over 100 years of collective legal experience across our team, bilingual consultations in English and Spanish, and same-day appointment availability, we’re equipped to move your case forward without unnecessary delay.

A criminal record in Louisiana is publicly accessible. Employers, landlords, and professional licensing boards can see it. Expungement removes it from public view, which can make a real difference for housing applications, job opportunities, and licenses like a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) that matter for many workers in Lake Charles’s port and energy sectors. Our firm has earned recognition from the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 (2025), Super Lawyers 2023, NACDA excellence in criminal law, and America’s Top 100 High-Stake Litigators. We bring that same level of focus and preparation to every expungement case we handle throughout Calcasieu Parish and across Louisiana and Texas.

What a Louisiana Expungement Does

Under Louisiana law, an expungement is a judicial order that removes a record of arrest, conviction, photographs, and related information from public access. It doesn’t destroy the record. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges can still access expunged records for legitimate purposes, but the public, including most employers and landlords, can’t.

What makes the process challenging is the number of agencies involved. A single arrest can generate records held by multiple agencies, each requiring coordination:

• AAID: The arresting agency holds an arrest ID number
• Book In Number: The parish sheriff’s booking record
• DA Number: The district attorney’s internal case number
• Docket Number: Assigned by the clerk of court
• Louisiana State Police: Compiles all state arrests for reporting to the FBI
• FBI/NCIC: Your arrest and conviction enter the national criminal database

Three categories of records are generally eligible for expungement: an arrest that never led to charges, charges that were later dismissed, and certain convictions depending on the offense and circumstances. Categorically ineligible offenses include crimes of violence as defined by La. R.S. 14:2(B) (with limited exceptions), sex offenses, crimes against a minor, domestic abuse battery, and stalking. Louisiana expungement law has been amended frequently, so eligibility is always fact-specific and depends on the statute in effect at the time you file. Consulting an attorney is the only reliable way to determine whether your record may qualify under current law.

Misdemeanor Expungement Eligibility in Louisiana

Misdemeanor expungement eligibility in Louisiana turns largely on whether your conviction was handled under La. C.Cr.P. Art. 894. If your misdemeanor was deferred under Art. 894(B) and successfully set aside, you may petition for expungement as soon as you complete probation. The standard five-year waiting period doesn’t apply in that situation.

If your sentence wasn’t originally deferred under Art. 894, don’t assume you’re out of options. Under Art. 881.1(A)(2), a defendant may file a motion asking the court to reconsider and impose a lesser sentence that could lawfully have been imposed, which may open the door to treatment under Art. 894 and potential expungement eligibility upon completing probation. For convictions not handled under Art. 894 and where reconsideration isn’t pursued, a five-year waiting period applies after completing your sentence, with no felony convictions during that period.

2021 Legislative Changes to Art. 894

Prior to 2021, Art. 894 deferrals were limited to once every five years for most misdemeanors. House Bill 232 (2021) removed that restriction for most offenses. A 10-year limit was retained specifically for DUI convictions under Art. 894(B)(2). Certain misdemeanors remain permanently ineligible regardless of any waiting period: domestic abuse battery, stalking, and misdemeanors arising from a sex offense arrest.

Contact the firm today at (337) 282-9003 to schedule your expungement consultation.