Hi I am a male and was born in Japan. I did a very stupid thing by shoplifting at a mall in Texas when I've just barely turned 21. I was caught by a police officer through a videotape of the cameras in Dillard's and was charged with a 50-500 theft prop offense. This whole situation also includes spending a night in jail before getting bailed, getting fingerprinted, and a mug shot taken. At that time, I'd just got out of a really bad car-accident with a month of coma in Baylor Hospital of Texas. I hired an attorney who told me that he would try to get my case dismissed so he helped me get a 30 hr community service and my case dismissed . I didn't plead to anything. So now I'm wondering if my offense or criminal record still lingering somewhere before applying for U.S. citizenship. Does a dismissed case means that I don't have a criminal conviction record? Would I need another attorney to get an expunction as soon as possible? And then how can I answer to the question on the Citizenship test interview where is goes something like "Have you ever been convicted or arrested before and for what? I just need some legal or good advices before applying for citizenship.

If the case is dismissed, then there is no conviction and no record.
But this is the issue, if they ask you if you were ever convicted. You can say no,

If they ask where you ever arrested, that answer is yes but it was dismissed.

You will always have to answer yes you were arrested, even convictions that are explunged will always to the police and to national security, always show the arrest and show it was dismissed.
A explunged record only removes the convictions from the public record

Thanks chuck