Do you think a case between zellers and a parent of a 15 year old who took a slurpee from zellers without paying would end up in court if the parent refused to pay the $476.08 settlement amount requested by zellers lawyers. The child is not being charged and is doing community service for the crime. ( Made an contract agreement )
2007-06-02 07:36:58 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Theft is theft whether the perpetrator is 15 or 50 and whether the item being stolen costs $1.50 or $15,000.00
So it's not a question of if they get punished, it's a question of how much considering their age and the item in question.
Basically the company is looking for a settlement as going to court would be costly for them, and chances are they wouldn't go to court over a slurpee under any circumstances even if you didn't pay.
However, if you are the parent of the child, you have a real opportunity here to show your kid the value of not stealing and of doing the right thing. Having them do community service is great, but to shirk the responsibility of paying the agreed upon amount, that's showing the kid that it's OK to steal & lie and to skirt the law, and that is a very poor lesson for a parent to teach their kid, and it almost ensures they will continue to follow that behavior.
Do the right thing and pay up, and use the opportunity to instill some values in the child.
2007-06-02 07:50:39 · answer #1 · answered by whiskeyman510 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
First, she must be charged if they want to pursue it as a criminal case.
If they prefer, they can ask for a civil case instead (not both). If they got a settlement granted in court, the parents MUST pay or end up in court.
If the agreement was community service OR the money, then they have no case. If the agreement was community service AND the money, they have a case.
If the 15 year old and family just decided to do community service as a way to make her look good and avoid paying, then tough, sorry, they don't get to decide her consequence, the courts do.
You stated that they had a contractual agreement. That is what will decide things in the end. If she breaks the contract, then the courts are needed to decide a further consequence.
2007-06-02 07:49:36 · answer #2 · answered by mckenziecalhoun 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Theft is a violation of the law, and it legally needs to be punished. Of course, when the criminal is a minor, any monetary punishment falls on the parents. Because of this, many judges will offer the child community service hours rather than a monetary fine.
Now, $476.08 for a slurpee is outrageous. Lawyers will always request far more money than they actually expect to recieve. In most cases, this will be the cost of the merchandise stolen plus whatever they think they can add to it as compensation for their loss and what they have to pay their lawyer. If they are charging you like this, you need to find a lawyer. It can sometimes be hard to find one that you can afford, but look around - they are not all expensive. Sometimes all you need to do is send a threatening letter from the lawyer and the other side will back off.
If the child has been given community service in lieu of payment, however, then that sounds like a good thing. They need to learn that stealing is wrong, even if it seems like something small, and that they will be punished for it. If they learn that now, they might avoid a lot of trouble in their lives in the future.
2007-06-02 07:40:19 · answer #3 · answered by Sappho 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
absolutely, otherwise all the 15 yr old would steal slurpee's after school from Zellers. What intelligent parents!.........wish more parents would learn to teach thier kids that if u commit a crime u pay for it!.....rather than the kids thinkin, "its alright dad'll/mum'll pay the fine later. Some things money can't buy DISCIPLINE!
2007-06-02 07:46:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-09 07:57:35 · answer #5 · answered by arteaga 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
STEALING IS STEALING...no matter how small it maybe. if it says that shoplifters will be prosecuted, which they will be anywhere you go. NEXT time you will pay for something now wont you. i don't think the parents should pay i think the kids a** should go to court and deal with the consequences. the child/person who stole the stuff needs to learn its not OK to do such things.
2007-06-02 07:43:44 · answer #6 · answered by MiRaNdA rOsE 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes I do. He stole something and it doesn't matter what it was. Stealing is wrong and can rarely if ever be justified, was he starving to death? Did he need the slurpee in order to live? I highly doubt it.
2007-06-02 07:43:19 · answer #7 · answered by Nickoo 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
hmmm thats weird i know that my friend got cought stealing form the mall when she was younger and i think that its only 10 or 20 times the amount of what was stollen that u have to pay pack, how much was the slurpee?
2007-06-02 07:43:37 · answer #8 · answered by kaykins85 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I do. But isn't it amazing that this kid would be punished this way, while illegal aliens are walking free after they have committed a crime far more serious than stealing a slurpee.
2007-06-02 07:41:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yep theft is theft, You steal you go to court, its like 5 miles over the speed is not as bad as 35 miles over but its still speeding.
2007-06-02 07:47:31 · answer #10 · answered by Shane S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋