Art. 779 Trial of misdemeanors

If you're charged with a misdemeanor in Louisiana, whether you get a jury trial depends on how serious the punishment could be. If the crime you're charged with could carry a fine of more than $2,500 or more than six months in jail, you have the right to a jury trial. That jury will have six people, and all six must agree in order to reach a verdict, whether it's guilty or not guilty.

For any other misdemeanor, one where the possible punishment is smaller, you won't get a jury. Instead, a judge alone will hear the case and decide the outcome. There's no jury involved at all in these smaller cases.

In short, the size of the possible punishment determines whether your case goes before six jurors or just a judge. Bigger potential penalties mean you get a jury. Smaller penalties mean the judge decides your case alone.