Domestic Abuse Battery
La. R.S. 14:35.3 — force by one family or household member on another, with 48 hours served on a first conviction
Domestic abuse battery is the intentional use of force or violence by one household or family member on another. Family members include spouses and former spouses, parents and children, and the other parent of the offender's child; household members include anyone who lives or lived with the offender in an intimate relationship.
| Conviction | Fine | Jail |
|---|---|---|
| ConvictionFirst | Fine$300 to $1,000 | Jail30 days to 6 months, 48 hours served |
| ConvictionSecond | Fine$750 to $1,000 | Jail60 days to 1 year, 14 days served |
| ConvictionThird | Fine$2,000 | Jail1 to 5 years, the first year served |
| ConvictionFourth or later | Fine$5,000 | Jail10 to 30 years at hard labor |
- Probation on a first conviction, and every second conviction, requires a court-monitored intervention program of at least 26 sessions over at least 26 weeks.
- Strangulation adds up to 10 years at hard labor, at least 1 year of it served.
- A child 13 years of age or younger present at the scene adds 1 to 3 years at hard labor on a first offense.
- A conviction more than 10 years after the end of the earlier sentence does not count as a prior one.
Sources for this section (1)
- La. R.S. 14:35.3 — Domestic abuse battery
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Louisiana attorney.