Shop Asking Me to Pay or Face Arrest
My question involves criminal law for the state of: Texas
I am 18 and i landed in a big heap of trouble few weeks back. I am caught for allegedly shoplifting sometime back. The charge was for allegedly stealing things worth $200. Predictably the cops came and was booked into jail and stayed there for 5 days. I was charged with Misdemeanor 1 petty theft. Luckily one of my uncles hired a criminal law firm who fought my case and helped me to clear the charges.
But then last week I got a letter from a lawyer asking me to pay $200 to the shop from where I allegedly stole. He is threatening to sue me otherwise. I took the letter to a cop and he said not to pay this and to ignore the notice. But I am still scared, can they sue me for not paying the money?
Re: Shop Asking Me to Pay or Face Arrest
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Quoting
Jeffy_Wall
My question involves criminal law for the state of: Texas
I am 18 and i landed in a big heap of trouble few weeks back. I am caught for allegedly shoplifting sometime back. The charge was for allegedly stealing things worth $200. Predictably the cops came and was booked into jail and stayed there for 5 days. I was charged with Misdemeanor 1 petty theft. Luckily one of my uncles hired a criminal law firm who fought my case and helped me to clear the charges.
But then last week I got a letter from a lawyer asking me to pay $200 to the shop from where I allegedly stole. He is threatening to sue me otherwise. I took the letter to a cop and he said not to pay this and to ignore the notice. But I am still scared, can they sue me for not paying the money?
If the charges were cleared...then it is a little odd for you to be receiving a demand letter. Yes, technically they could sue you but if the charges were cleared, they really don't have a basis for it.
Re: Shop Asking Me to Pay or Face Arrest
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llworking
If the charges were cleared...then it is a little odd for you to be receiving a demand letter. Yes, technically they could sue you but if the charges were cleared, they really don't have a basis for it.
Why not? The civil demand is a civil matter and entirely separate from the criminal action. Just because the criminal charges were dismissed does not mean OP didn't commit the crime. Ya know, like OJ after his acquittal.
Re: Shop Asking Me to Pay or Face Arrest
For the record, the OP spammed a link to a Canadian law firm in his post that was supposedly about a Texas criminal law question.
The question of whether the store is justified in pursuing a civil demand following the dismissal of a criminal charge is an interesting one, but the story given here is pure fiction.