I was just caught stealing from a macy's in Ohio for a pair of sweat pants that were only 14.99, as soon as I walked out of the store a lady from loss prevention came up to me grabbed my arm and told me she knew I stole, when I asked her how she knew she explained that "she could tell by what items i selected to bring in my dressing room and what i walked out with" even though I walked out with nothing, anyway, they took me down to a room where
Macy's fined me $200.00 that I'm supposed to pay within 14 days
I'm supposed to receive a letter in the mail for a court date in 2-3 weeks

I just turned 18 a month ago and I have a clean record so this is my first offence..

Do I need to get a lawyer or attorny? What will they charge me with? Will I get probabtion or any extra fines? Community service?

I'm super scared and I don't know what to do. I still live at home with my parents and I don't know if I should tell them or do this all on my own. Please help me :(

I'm confused. Did you steal the sweatpants or not?

Simple, court papers will be coming to th house, so tell your parents.

I would always have an attorney, and I would hope you did not sign any statement at the store.

But with an attorney you may get probation and another fine ( the fine to the store is a payment to them for their time and trouble normally) then you may get the record sealed or dismissed after you finish your probation if you have an attorney to work the system correctly.

It's a misdeamenor. Since this is your first time in trouble, I would get an attorney, or the court will appoint you a defense attorney.

Do you work? Are you in school? These things will help you when you go in front of a judge as to your sentence. You will probably get community service and have to pay a fine. Then, after your prohabation period is over, (Probably about six month) as long as you don't get in any other trouble, you can have your record expunged. (sealed) and it won't be on your record anymore.

Good Luck.

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Originally Posted by blackshield

It's a misdeamenor. Since this is your first time in trouble, I would get an attorney, or the court will appoint you a defense attorney.

Do you work? are you in school? These things will help you when you go in front of a judge as to your sentence. You will probably get community service and have to pay a fine. Then, after your prohabation period is over, (Probably about six month) as long as you don't get in any other trouble, you can have your record expunged. (sealed) and it won't be on your record anymore.

Good Luck.

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Expunged and sealed are two different things.

Wow your first offense for $15. Well in most cases since it is your first offense I don't think they will be that harsh on you. Even though theft is a major issue. But I think you should have a lawyer present because being that this is your first offense they might just give you a fine but that depends on what the law is for your state. This is why I would recommend you hire a lawyer.

Yeah I'm still in high school I'm a senior and I'm in PSEOP which is a prgram where I leave school half day and go to college and I have two jobs.

In Ohio the state law is if the theft is under $300 they can charge you up to $1,000, and a maximum of I think three months in a jail... but I have talked to some people that live around me that had the same thing happen to them and they got off with 3 months prbabtion and an extra $100 fine.

I'm really leaning towards not telling my parents right now because its so close to christmas and I don't want them to deal with the stress of this right now, but if I absolutely need to tell them and get an attorney and not one the court appoints me I guess I have to

Reallyscared,

I would get an attorney. If you are working 2 jobs, then you can afford one. I'm assuming you live at home? How much overhead can you have?

Some lawyers will let you make payments. It never hurts to make a few phone calls. Defend yourself.

You will probably just have to pay fines and they might put you on probation it really all depends on the judge you get

I wouldn't get an attorny that's expensive and because its your first offense I doubt you will get jail time at all.

Plus why would you pay for an attorny who will charge you 400 bucks when you can use that money to pay your fines. When I know for a fact that's probably all you will get and a little probation and that a maybe, now if you become contempt of court and you don't pay your fines then id get a lawyer.

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Originally Posted by kitten420

plus why would u pay for an attorny who will charge you 400 bucks when u can use that money to pay your fines. when i kno for a fact thats prolly all you will get and a little probation and that a maybe, now if you become contempt of court and you dont pay your fines then id get a lawyer.

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I don't know how you know for a fact what the sentence will be. Everyone certainly has their opinion based on education, experience, knowledge of the system but there are no guarantees.

I see no indication that OP intends to miss the Court appearance, avoid the fine and turn this simple matter into contempt of Court.

I only make $7.00 an hour at both my jobs and I probably work a total of 16-20 hours a week combined so its really not that much money.. specially when I have to pay for gas food car insurance etc..

Plus I have to pay the $200 fine to macys within the next 12 days.

And yes I still live at home with my parents but I have not told them about this and I really don't want to unless I need to because they are already under enough stress with their jobs and family issues it just doesn't seem right to bring this up on them

Attornys are expensive. And I don't have enough money for one and neither do my parents right now... should I really look in to getting one? Or try to talk to one?

And if I'm supposed to receive the letter in the mail in the next 2-3 weeks with my court date on it, does anyone know roughly how long after I get my letter my court date will be?
.. I'm going to be gone over christmas until new years eve late.

JudayKayTee:
I'm sorry but I'm not sure what this means...

I see no indication that OP intends to miss the Court appearance, avoid the fine and turn this simple matter into contempt of Court.

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Originally Posted by reallyscared102

JudayKayTee:
I'm sorry but I'm not sure what this means...

I see no indication that OP intends to miss the Court appearance, avoid the fine and turn this simple matter into contempt of Court.

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Kitten 420, post 11:

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plus why would you pay for an attorny who will charge you 400 bucks when you can use that money to pay your fines. When I know for a fact that's probably all you will get and a little probation and that a maybe, now if you become contempt of court and you don't pay your fines then id get a lawyer.

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That's what I was addressing.

If you would like to know it is from my own experience I have gotten o
In some trouble a couple years ago and with my first offense even up to my third offense all they made me do was pay fines and with the part I added about contempt of court I was just rambling on I tend to do that a lot I like to give people on here advice from my own experiences a lawyer is not necessary to hire he can just get appointed to a lawyer at the court house for free and it will still help him out heeps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kitten420

If you would like to kno it is from my own experiance I have gotten o
In some trouble a couple years ago and with my first offense even up to my third offense all they made me do was pay fines and with the part I added about contempt of court I was just rambling on I tend to do that alot I like to give people on here advice from my own experiences a lawyer is not nessecary to hire he can just get appointed to a lawyer at the court house for free and it will still help him out heeps

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You may be addressing the law in Indiana; this is not the law in other places, particularly the "get appointed to a lawyer" part.

Again, this is a legal board and the rambling just confuses things. No guarantees in any of these situations.

Well sorry about the rambling lol I do that a lot. Yea laws are different in different places but I doubt he will get any jail time considering the fact its his first offense they will probably only fine him and maybe some probation. Talking to a lawyer is something that should be done but hiring one is un nessesary. Specially with a first offense mistameaner.

Look in to getting a legal aid and see if they can get you in to a diversion program of some sort. A criminal conviction affecting your future employment is something you should worry more about then going to jail or a fine. Your not going to get jail time.

You don't really need to worry about it, as long as you pay the fine in a timely manner, they probably won't even send the court papers. I got arrested for shoplifting from Macy's when I was 17, in MA and they made me pay a $500 fine, I paid it within 2 weeks, and never had to make a court appearance.