I'm 21 years old and have no prior criminal history, I have a clean record until now. I'm scared and I know what i did was WRONG and i really regret it. I know this will stay on my record forever. Im just scared because I was given a citation to appear in court next month, I still live at home with my parents, I'm a fulltime student and have NO job. I afraid I wont have enough money to pay for the fine. Plus i dont know if i should get a lawyer, anyways I cant afford that either. Basically since I'm an adult I should know better than a minor, I'm scared that I might get arrested on my court date. The thing i stole was under $100. Has this happened to anyone, if so what happened? how much was the fine and/or other cost. Do you think the judge will arrest me for this knowing that i have a clean record. Do you think I will have a good chance without a lawyer to represent me. Will my fine be under $ 500. Thanks 2 all for the advice.
2006-11-09 11:06:42 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I was in the exact same situation when I was 19. I had a totally clean record and had taken about $27 worth of stuff from a grocery store. I did not have a job and I didn't want my mom to find out.
I went to court on the date I was supposed to appear and I used the public defender that they had. I was fined $500 plus another $100 (?) in court fees and given one year to do 40 hours of community service. I think I was placed on probation for a year.
The weird part was that they had told me something about how if I completed the 40 hours of community service it would be wiped off my record (?) because it was my first offense (something like that). They kept saying the words 'misdemeanor' and 'felony'. I could have sworn that they told me that if I didn't do my community service that it would be bumped up to a felony. I don't see how that could have been true. The whole thing was such a blur because I was so scared. I was sure they were going to send me to jail.
I had to borrow the money from my boyfriend and I paid the fine. My mom never found out. A year went by and I never did the community service (long story). When I returned to court when the year was up, I told the judge that I didn't do the community service and he said 'OK' and that was it. I left. I have no clue what I ended up actually being charged with and I've never seen my record.
2006-11-09 14:50:28 · answer #1 · answered by Pico 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Talk to a lawyer. Talk to a Lawyer. Talk to a lawyer.
Many good people make this stupid mistake when they are young. You do NOT need a misdemeanor conviction on your record if you can avoid it with a plea reduction or an ACD.
The District Attorney must have a policy for handling these cases in the court you are going to. Find out what the possibilities are!
In New York the best deal is an ACD or adjournment in contemplation of dismissal which many people get here for a first offense like this. This is just short of the case being outright dismissed. Petit Larceny is a crime (misdemeanor) which is more serious than a violation level offense and less serious than a felony. WATCH OUT!
Did you get fingerprinted? This is important since if you get an ACD in New York you can get your fingerprints destroyed if you stay out of trouble for six months and say attend a stop shoplifting class. This is important so there is no record when someone looks at your criminal history say when looking for a job and trying to be a productive member of society later on! They always ask you if you have ever been convicted of a crime when applying for jobs!!!!
You need to know about all this before doing anything.
If all else fails, you should ask your attorney if you have any defenses to the charge, procedural or evidentiary. Good luck!
P.S. PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THE PERSON BELOW WHO RECOMMENDS GOING IN AND TALKING ABOUT PLEADING GUILTY IN EXCHANGE FOR A LOW FINE! BAD BAD ADVICE!
2006-11-09 11:16:21 · answer #2 · answered by jsb3t 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am glad you are scared and .... you should have thought about all of this 'before' you stole.
Be glad you live in the U.S.
Imagine you live in an Islamic State, they could cut your right hand off for what you did.
100, or 500 dollars, lawyer, can not afford, etc.
You stole !
You can work it off in a Hospital, cleaning bed pans.
Get a lawyer, but above all THINK before you do something.
Maybe this was a good lesson learned.
You may keep your right hand here, but you will pay for your mistake, it's only fair to the people you stole from.
They had to work for the item you stole from them.
Even if it is a HUGE Company you stole from, it was NOT right and you know it.
Shame on you !
Pay the price.
Then move on and forget about it.
2006-11-09 11:14:38 · answer #3 · answered by hansomat 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If the item you took is under $499, it is a misdemeanor. If you were going to jail for it, they never would have issued you a citation, they would have taken you to jail.
You will get a fine, small probably. You might also get off with Community service. Explain to the judge that your sorry, never been in trouble before, and since your a student with no job, ask for community service in lieu of the fine.
2006-11-09 11:15:42 · answer #4 · answered by Kevin J 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Calm....down. This is nothing. I've testified against worst cases. You won't get any jail time, that's for sure. Since you can't afford a lawyer and you still have a month, talk to the prosecutor yourself to see if s/he can lower the fine to something more affordable (don't go overboard though) and, in exchange, you plea guilty. Trust me, prosecutors already have enough crap going on that if someone wants to plea guilty in exchange for something trivial, they'll do it, especially since you have a clean record and you're truly sorry for it. As for if your fine will be under $500, I don't know, since I don't have a clue where you live. Good luck to ya.
2006-11-09 11:20:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
major consequence from stealing?... living with it and knowing that you are using the resources of the police and the justice system as well as taxpayers money that could be used a lot better elsewhere keeping the streets you live in, safe. the fine that you may have to pay will not cover all that expense. but if you don't have a conscience, and guilt is not your thing, then i guess it's not your major consequence.
2016-05-22 01:30:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ummmm get a lawyer, but sence it's your first offense they might be nice depending on who the judge is hopefully they look at your record and let you off easy but don't do it again. and how the heck did you not know it was illegal? I mean please nothings free.
Sence you can't afford a lawyer 1 will be apointed to you.....the cop should have told you that when he read you your miranda rights but Good luck
2006-11-09 12:06:22 · answer #7 · answered by bearcatz_07 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I agree with two_eight. Go to the prosecutor and see if you can make a deal for a lower charge and community service. Be an adult and handle this before the trial.
2006-11-09 12:25:40 · answer #8 · answered by seekingwidow 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
you will have to pay court costs definately but that is probably going to be around the 500.00 or less, u will probably get probation since it is your first offense, on probabtion u will have to go see your probabtion officer probably about once a month and pay them a fee everytime which will probably be around 60.00 a month but that is all for the courts to decide, don't worry about jail u probably won't go there
2006-11-09 11:17:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i have never shoplifted. But scince u have a clean record they might take it easy on you.
2006-11-09 11:11:22 · answer #10 · answered by cuteomi94 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋