So I made a wrong decision out of a stupid challenge with a friend and shoplifted 40$ worth o stuff at JC penney in Kansas and got caught when we were exiting the store. I came clean and the police officer came there and gave me a court date to appear next month. I am very scared as to what is going to happen. I don't know if there is anything I can do to make my stand stronger. I feel terrible and I wish I could do something to make all this go away. Also I have never done anything so stupid and have a clean record. I don't even have a speeding ticket. I am a 4.0 student who is graduating this fall and I can't have something like this ruin my future as it might even kill my chances at a good job. What are the chances of jailtime? And how bad of a punishment can they give me? Can I ve deported as I am an international student?
Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks

I would get an attorney. With your record you should be able to work out a deal where you perform community service in return for having your record expunged.

For under $40.00, I would not think the worst can happen. Community service, make restittution, pay a fine. What can the benefit be for you to go to jail? The courts here are doing more community service sentences in place of more traditional outcomes. Hopefully, that will be for you also.

Lol just tell the truth and with your record not much will happen but I'm sure you will get a misterminer... good luck don't steal do the crime do the time buddy!

If you go outside naked in the middel of a lightning storm and hold a fifty foot copper pole in the air I bet it will make it all go away. Stupid right, what you did was stupid, but not life ending. If this is really your first time you should be OK. My father used to say that we are defined by our actions. Some people steal because they can't do any better. I don't think you are in that situation. You shold choose your actions better. Don't do stupid things becsuse someone tell you that its cool or it will work. But if you want to continue doing stupid things tell me how the lightning thing works out.

In general at the worst you pay a fine, and do some community servcie with probation.

But I would get an attorney and see if you can get the case dismissed if you pay a fine ( court cost) and do community service, and the case is dismissed after so many months.

Hey what's up Fr_chuck.. good way to look at it...

Thanks lot for that help. I will contact an attorney and hopefully things won't go too bad. I am an international student and hopefully I will still be able to finish up my course work and not sentenced to jail or anything. Thanks a lot. And I did learn my lesson. I have never felt worse and realise I shldnt do summin out of it being funny!

Thanks again!