So yeah. It was my first time getting caught. Like I said, it was an $18.99 item at Walgreens, and I live in Seattle, WA. I walked out the door and the security guy took me back in and handcuffed me and said I have to go to court (I'll get a letter in 8-12 weeks) and pay a fine, I think he said up to $5000. I had enough money on me to cover the cost of the item, and he said that wasn't good. Did he mean that it might count against me somehow?
I'm sort of freaked out. What happens in court? Do I have to get a lawyer or something? Or can I just admit I did it? Is this the kind of court with a whole jury and all that stuff? (surely not...) How likely is it that I'll actually have to pay $5000? And if I do, I need a job like right now, (I've sort of just been doing the full-time student thing) so when I apply for one, what do I say on the form when it asks if I've ever been arrested? (Or whatever it says, I never paid much attention because that part never applied to me.) Will it be very hard for me to get hired? Will it be harder at shops than at, say, food places?
Sorry if some of these are dumb questions, I'm having a hard time finding info...
Thanks in advance.
I'm sort of freaked out. What happens in court? Do I have to get a lawyer or something? Or can I just admit I did it? Is this the kind of court with a whole jury and all that stuff? (surely not...) How likely is it that I'll actually have to pay $5000? And if I do, I need a job like right now, (I've sort of just been doing the full-time student thing) so when I apply for one, what do I say on the form when it asks if I've ever been arrested? (Or whatever it says, I never paid much attention because that part never applied to me.) Will it be very hard for me to get hired? Will it be harder at shops than at, say, food places?
Sorry if some of these are dumb questions, I'm having a hard time finding info...
Thanks in advance.
