Shoplifting At Macy's In Texas

two of my friends and i were stupid enough to go shoplifting at a macy's in texas. i guess we thought it would be easy or something, but we went through with it, and my other two friends got caught, but i did not get caught because i stayed inside the store to wait for them to come back. my 2 friends have a court hearing in a week or so and i want to know if there is any way for this to not get on their permanent record? maybe they could just get off with community service or something? and if my name comes up and i get involved in the court case as well, could i just get off with a minor punishment? all three of us are under 17, and we made a stupid mistake. we don't want to have to ruin our lives over some stupid shirts. does anyone know the laws regarding shoplifting and department stores in texas? :wallbang::wallbang::wallbang:

actually, is there a way to just avoid the court case completely and do community services or deferrence programs so this wont go on a permanent record?

At this point, there is no way to avoid going to court, it is however possible to avoid a criminal conviction. You will want to hire a lawyer and plead not guilty, you will be given a different court date. You should consult with your lawyer about diversion programs in your area. If you qualify for one, and complete it, you will avoid a criminal conviction, and in most cases, will not have a criminal record. The police will still have a record, but when you apply for a job, you can check the box that says you have no criminal convictions and such. If you can not afford a lawyer, plead not guilty and request a public defendant. You can expect to have to have to pay the store restitution, which is typically the value of the merchandise plus a fee which varies by location, usually a lot more than the merchandise. Please keep checking for more information, as others might have more. Also read some of the millions others of posts like yours, as they might help.

...and even with an arrest it is on their records. If they are tried as juveniles the records can be sealed and generally only the prosecutor has access to them once the kids are 18.