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I was caught shoplifting an item worth $16 from a Filene's in Massachusetts. I was not prosecuted, but was told that I may have to pay a civil fine and be summoned to court. Since I believe the theft was minimal, and it is my 1st offense, do you have any insight into what the likelihood is that I will have to A. pay a civil fine and B. be summoned to court? And who makes the decision for each of these?
It would be unusual to be summoned to court if (a) you are not prosecuted and (b) you receive and pay your civil demand. So if you are sure you are not being prosecuted, and pay your civil demand when you receive it, that should conclude things.
You will beyond any doubt in my mind be given a civil demand. However, if they wished to press criminal charges on you they would've called the police at the time they caught you. Unless you refuse to pay the civil demand, I do not see them trying to prosecute you. However, I do believe they still have the right to prosecute if they wished. I am not a legal expert, but I do work LP.
So as I understand it, I could be prosecuted later on and receive a court summons in the mail. Who makes this decision whether to prosecute me later or not?
The LP department of the store decides which casses to prosecute, but I would be willing to bet that they will not prosecute in this case based on the ammount and the fact they did not call the police at the time it happened.