Caught Shoplifting at Icing

Hi I'm a 13 year old girl who lives in the state of Connecticut. I was at the mall and I stole 7$ worth of merchandise for Icing by Claires. My court date is tomorrow and I'm getting really nervous. I am so regretful and i vouch on my life that i will never steal again as long as I live so please help me! Here's what happened: I went into Icing with my best friend. While she was shopping i stole a lip gloss and a hair accessory. Stupidest thing i ever did. My friend didn't know i stole and she even bought a ring there. The manager apparently saw me and asked me to give back what i took. I gave everything back to her and she told us to sit down while mall security came. But the thing was I wasn't completely out of the store yet, there was still a table of merchandise to my right. I was thinking that i should plead not guilty because i wasn't out of the store yet, i gave everything back, and i really don't know what else to do. Some advice would be great. (the police came after that and the manager wrote up a report) Also i have good grades and a clean record. I'm going to be a freshman next year and I'm taking a sophomore class and 2 honors. I really don't want this on my record!

The best way to keep crimes off your record is not to commit them.

The moment you concealed the merchandise, you committed the act of theft... even if you never got out of the store.

of course i wont commit anymore crimes, but what should i do?

Plead Not Guilty, but not for the reasons you're laying out. It doesn't matter that you weren't out of the store or that you gave the merch back - you still stole.

You plead Not Guilty to leave room for negotiation of your punishment. Ask your parents to get an attorney for you, or when you plead Not Guilty, ask for a Public Defender. With the help of an attorney, you may be able to get into a diversion program, which entails paying fines and restitution, attending anti-shoplifting classes, and completing probation.

Successful completion of a diversion program usually results in a clean record.

If she has court tomorrow, at age 13, she will be going to court with her parents. She should get an idea of what the court has in mind as a disposition at that hearing. There are many ways a charge can be resolved in juvenile court, many of which don't involve a juvenile adjudication.

At 13, what are you doing on a legal forum looking for advice? Where are mom and dad? This alone is rather disturbing, at least to me.

You've been given some good advice here, but I'm going to give you some more... as a mom to children your age.... talk to your parents.