Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Arrested for Shoplifting... Need advice PLEASE!

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NervousScared1

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I got arrested yesterday for shoplifting a $40 bracelet at a Lord and Taylor in Rockland County. I have never ever been in trouble with the law before, this is the first time. I signed papers saying that I would pay civil damages to the store, and that I would be arrested for trespassing if I ever entered that mall again. They took my picture and called the police and they told me I was under arrest and issued me an appearance ticket.

I got a desk appearance ticket to appear in court in 10 days and I'm very frightened about it all. Will my job find out?? Will I go to jail?? Do I need a lawyer? Will this stay on my record and for how long?? Can I get a public defender even though I make more than 40 thousand dollars a year?? I told no one about what happened, I'm ashamed and embarassed. How will this affect my future?? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much!
 
Oh! I'm 28 years old, and as I stated I've never been in trouble with the law before.

I was reading another thread about something called a Pre Trial Intervention... would I be able to do that for this case?? My bottom line is that I'll pay whatever, I'll do community service, probation, whatever they ask, I just want to make sure that after everything is said and done this charge does NOT appear on my record. ANY help would be appreciated. Thank you so much!
 
Find out if your jurisdiction offers something for first time small offenders like you, such as pre-trial intervention, pre-trial diversion, or whatever they call it there. You may need a lawyer to make sure they give it to you or you may speak to the prosecuting attorney's office. They usually give it to first offenders who commit petty shoplifting, but you have to plead not guilty at arraignment, which is your first court date. If you hire a lawyer, he or she would be able to appear for you at arraignment.

If you get convicted, it is possible to have it expunged later on by hiring a lawyer to do the necessary paperwork.

Completion of pre-trial intervention keeps a conviction off your record, but you will still have a record of your arrest. You will need a lawyer to expunge your arrest record after a certain period of time. Any option you have now will cost you money, but it's worth it and you learn your lesson that saving $40 by stealing something risks losing lots more money than your would ever want to pay for a bracelet. Good luck.
 
I was able to get the charges reduced to a misdemeanor and pay a $200 fine.

But Now I've got the Lawyers from Lord and Taylor calling and threatening me with a civil suit if I don't pay them ANOTHER $200. They've sent three letters and called once and I haven't responded. My lawyer told me that they would NOT bring a civil suit against me and that I didn't need to respond to the letters. I want to believe him, but I'm afraid that he might just be saying that to get more money out of me. I'm thinking that he's telling me not to respond so that when they DO decide to go along with the civil suit I'll have to pay him again to get myself out of it.

I don't know what to do. This thing has cost me SO much already, I just can't shell out another $200. Please help.
 
I'm sure the attorney cost a heck of a lot more than $200. Mine cost me $750, half of what the first attorney I talked to wanted to charge. $200 shouldn't be much to get them off your back. They usually don't have time to bring civil suits against every shoplifter who refuses to pay "civil demand", which is what they're asking for, but it can hurt your credit rating, since it's a payment you're refusing to pay.

You still have a misdemeanor on your criminal record. You may want to ask your attorney if you can expunge that. Criminal record and credit rating affect the rest of your life, so you want to be careful with them. It's sad that taking some junk from a store one time in your life can stick with you for the rest of it.
 
Are you sure you got the term right? Because you would have been charged with a misdemeanor anyway. There are three classes of crimes: felonies, misdemeanors and a third class, that is sometimes called violation, or infraction or something similar. All of them are crimes, that is a violation of the penal laws of a state. However, usually only felonies and misdemeanors are the classes we care about, they are the ones that stay on record etc. Violations or infractions usually are resolved by paying a fine and then they are being put into oblivion in some dusty files. Traffic tickets usually are violations.

So, if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor, you have a criminal record. There might be possibilities of expungement, you should inquire this from your lawyer. But not all states offer this and not for all crimes.
 
The charge was reduced to disorderly conduct, which is a violation, not a misdemeanor, which means it's NOT on my record, correct?? I had to pay a $200 dollar fine and I ended up coughing up the other $200 for the civil thing. I just wanted to put this thing behind me and not be worried about that poping up further down the line.
 
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