Baton Rouge Criminal Defense Law Blog

Receiving gifts and thank you gestures are not rare in our society. They seem like generous acts that are relatively harmless; however, when completed in certain settings or between or among certain individuals, this can be viewed as a problematic situation. In some cases, giving someone else something of value could be viewed at as a bribe. And those accused of bribery could face serious criminal consequences.

The basic definition of bribery is the crime of accepting gratuity. In order to be charged with this crime, there must be proof of the basic elements of this crime. This means that the situation must include a public official and a thing of value. There must be a request or receipt by the official or an offer or promise to the official something of value.

It simply wouldn't be realistic to expect every person to go through life without ever making a bad decision that he or she later might regret. In fact, you've likely done so at some point in life and you might make a poor judgment call again in the future. The implications of your decisions depend on the events surrounding them. Some poor choices are easier to rise above than others are.

For instance, if you are a student at one of Louisiana's colleges or universities and you stay out all night partying with friends, then get low grades on a test because you did not study, you might recognize your own mistake and try to do better the next time. However, if, while partying, a police officer arrests you and you face DUI charges, that's a whole other story.

Money is something that we need. While it isn't always something we need a lot of, the reality is that we need money to pay for our basic needs and to survive. However, when the way that a person obtains their finances is not through legal channels, this could present issues. In fact, if a person is accused of fraud, he or she could face serious criminal penalties.

This is what is happening with two Louisiana women. According to recent reports, the two women, ages 28 and 23, were arrested for going door-to-door in Tangiphoa Parish. Allegedly, the women were fraudulently collecting money for a sick girl. Law enforcement that arrested them stated that they both are supposedly addicted to heroin.

Searches and seizures can happen for various reasons. It could stem from a traffic stop, occur following an arrest and even happen when a search warrant is issued on a residence based on probable cause. During a search, various items could be uncovered, one of them being drugs. Being in possession of an illegal substance could result in drug charges. However, one being in possession of drugs does not mean he or she will be convicted of drug possession. There are defense options available, making it imperative to understand the elements of this crime, penalties that could result and what defense strategies a defendant could use.

In Louisiana and other states, the penalties for drug possession vary greatly. For example, simple possession could range from a fine of $100 or less and a few days in jail to thousands of dollars in fines and several years in prison. A simple possession charge is typically the lightest penalty one could face, but this is dependent on the drug in question.