I have a record of aggravated assault from the state of Louisiana, which I understand is a misdemeanor. However, I have been told by employers and some police in states like Florida, Washington, Texas, and Georgia that it actually varies depending on how the nature of the charge compares. I have been denied jobs based on the check in the box that asks if I have been convicted of a felony, but the charge is a misdemeanor in Louisiana. I also had to submit a butt-load of paperwork on it before I went into the Army back in 2001. Can someone explain this?

In a lot of states that charge is a felony. You certainly can keep a copy of the conviction with you and submit it when you submit an application. Have you browsed through the information in LawInfo's Free Legal Resource Center to learn more about your issue yet? See: http://www.lawinfo.com/consumer.html and http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/index.html. You can certainly try to speak to a lawyer to determine what legal options may be available. In the meantime, you may be able to learn more on your own. Search the "Free Legal Resources" tab, or browse the Consumer Resources. Good luck.