Charged with Theft/Disorderly Persons
i'm in nj and was charged with a 2c-20-3a, theft of moveable property for stealing from an employer and i need some advice. is it better to plead guilty or not guilty? i plan to return the merchandise and pay reparations, will pleading not guilty give me more leeway or is it only inviting more trouble for myself? the total of the merchandise was $168 and this is my first criminal offense ever in my 32 years of life.
i received a summons and my 1st appearance is in a few weeks. what can i expect? should i bring a lawyer?
being that this is my first offense, what kind of punishments am i looking at? are any fines that are imposed expected to be repaid immediately or can i work out a payment plan?
i know this is alot of questions but i'm very scared and confused. i had a horrendous lapse in judgement and my fear of the unknown is driving me batty.
thanks.
Re: Charged with Theft/Disorderly Persons
If you want somebody to advise you how to plead, you should consult a lawyer. If you plead guilty, you're pretty much eliminating dispositions that might allow you to avoid a criminal conviction (not that they're necessarily available, but it's worth investigating.)
Please respect the forum rules and our time and stop double-posting questions. Thanks.