Yahoo answers, i made the terrible mistake of shoplifting and got caught. i need some advice for my court date?
Hello! First of all, I'm an 18 year old girl. Made the terrible mistake of shoplifting at Urban Outfitters in the mall of America. Got caught with about $50 worth of merchandise from them. However, I realized my mistake and in a way I'm a little glad I got caught. Shoplifting was becoming almost an addiction and I couldn't tear myself away from it, so the law did. Anyways, I was extremely cooperative and 5 minutes into meeting the cop we were telling jokes and having a surprisingly pleasant conversation. I tried to put ease to all of the situations and I got all the men in the police station in on our joke telling, even me joking about how I should be a loss prevention person since I know the ins and outs of shoplifting... But that's pretty beside the point. I paid my $50 bail, got my fingerprints and pictures taken, and I was very cooperative. Now I have court next month. How would I go about getting the least amount of fine I could? Or other punishments, I suppose. I'm most concerned about my criminal record. Thank you! I have also never gotten in any sort of legal trouble, squeaky clean record.
?2013-05-20T11:31:05Z
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It's not squeaky clean anymore unfortunately. Make sure you have an attorney. I know you think its minor, but in the modern day where no one meets anyone else without googleing them first, nothing is really minor. Get an attorney and do the best you can to get the best deal you can.
Unfortunately that $50 is now going to cost you $10k in attorneys fees but you need to get a good deal. You are 18 and this sort of thing can follow you around for a long time.
First of all never joke with the cops or talk openly with them. They can and will use everything you say against you. the judge will have the notes the cops took about what you said and since you seem to have admitted to being a shoplifter in the past, not just this time, he could decide to punish a little harsher than he would have. That said, you ask for adjudication. they put you on probation with fine and if you aren't arrested again for anything, usually with in a year, it won't go on your record. Varies from state to state so u would need to check out your states laws. Also, the value of what you took makes a difference as to the level of the crime. Some states when you steal more than $50 it is a felony. Under that a misdemeanor. Since it's your first offense you should get probation. As to your record afterwards, if you can't do adjudication, you might be able to have your record expunged after you complete probation. You again need to check the laws on how that's done in your state.
there is a good reason the police were so nice, they sussed you out within 60 seconds and you made their job very easy and confessed....The best thing you can do for yourself now is get yourself a lawyer and that person will do the best for you now and your future career. I'm not totally sure about the American justice system but here it is called a spent conviction and you will get punished (a fine) but in a certain amount of time if you continue to commit no further crimes it will be wiped off. So lawyer up and get your options of how to go
So this is the first time you got caught after many times of doing it, I wouldn't call that a squeaky clean record because to have one of those, you have to not have done any crimes at all (like you did). Your behavior has just not been documented until now. If you want a low fine go in and confess and don't jerk them around. The judge won't be so easy to cozy up to.
Ha, telling jokes after being arrested for stealing, that's going to bite you in court. Shows that you were not taking the situation very seriously.
Amazing that you managed to fool the loss prevention staff for so long. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to think you can fool the judge. So, lawyer. the best you can afford.