What to Expect if You're Charged With Petty Larceny

My question involves criminal law for the state of: New York

I was charged with petit larceny after I stole approx. $25 worth of stuff from Walmart. I was with my brother who is a minor and he placed a phone charger in my bag and I took a tube of paint. I was caught on our way out and put in a small room where I gave my information. The police were called and I was given an appearance ticket to appear in court this Tuesday, January 31st. I was released after about an hour. I am 20 years old and this is my first and only offense. I am a full time student and I work a little so I cannot afford an attorney and my parents will not assist me with paying. I live with them. I don't know what to expect or if I'll go to jail. When I go on Tuesday, should I plead guilty or not guilty? I want to make a free consultation meeting with a lawyer just to get some advice and understand my options and what exactly is happening. But like I said I don't know if I can afford a lawyer and court appointed lawyers go off of household income and I still live with my parents who won't assist me in paying at all.

All of you shoplifters say the same thing. You say that it's your first charge, never mind the high likelihood that it's not your first time shoplifting, whining that you're a great student and, since you're a full-time college student you're broke, blah, blah, blah...<sigh>.

You are likely being charge with a class A misdemeanor and can be sentenced to a maximum of $1000 and a year in jail. It's unlikely that anything approaching this will be imposed but those are the limits of possibility.

As you have managed to raise tuition for school and live with your parents you likely will not meet the means test for a public defender, the court will see that you do, in fact, have means.

You will want an attorney. Without that the possibility of pleading it down to a lesser crime (theft, that's what larceny means) is a serious crime that can cause problems for you down the road. Without and attorney you can forget acquittal.

Stop stealing, for Pete's sake! you're facing a real problem that can haunt you for years because of a tube of paint rather and a charger. I hope it was worth it. I hope that tube is full of liquid gold because, if it isn't, you've branded your self a thief for the price of only a few dollars.

Ask for a public defender anyhow.

Your best hope would be for an ACD. If you can't qualify for an attorney, ask if that is possible.

She is twenty.

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I am 20 years old and this is my first and only offense

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Yeah, I saw that after she hit the post button and had already corrected it by the time you posted your clarificaiton.
(Just so other people knwo what Budwad is talking about).

Much will depend on which county this occurred in. Are you appearing in a city, town or village court and in which county?

City court. I contacted a few lawyers to get opinions an quotes and they all said I'll likely get off with an ACD with attorney fees ~$500

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Quoting smalltowngirl96

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City court. I contacted a few lawyers to get opinions an quotes and they all said I'll likely get off with an ACD with attorney fees ~$500

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There's your answer.

Stop stealing to avoid these types of problems in the future, and you'd better straighten out your brother too.