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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    9

    Default Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Pennsylvania
    Age: 20

    so recently i was caught with 10 dollar worth stuff with a friend who had 30 dollar stuff worth on him at walmart

    the cops were called they took our info, they said that we would send us a letter for finger printing and etc. it was my first time

    and other problem is that my citizen ship oath is coming soon.

    1) will this be a problem for me during the oath
    2) can i get this record cleaned out

    please help i can't sleep, eat can't do anything straight im freaking out really bad this is def. gonna be my last time ever doing something stupid

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    207

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    If you get convicted, then you can't get the record cleared in Pennsylvania.

    I'm not sure about the citizenship oath; I'm not familiar with immigration procedures. If you've already been approved for citizenship, then this probably won't jeapordise it.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    I will tell you the same thing that I wrote to the person in the next thread: stop freaking out. You are not helping your case by that. Your life is not over because of 10$. It is better to learn your lesson over such a low dollar amount, than getting caught with many items in your car that you have stolen from a few different stores. I am not saying that you ever did that (because I don't know you), but most habitual shoplifters do that all the time. And believe me, getting caught with multiple items from couple stores SUCKS. That's a sure way to get convicted with a felony.

    1) I am not a legal/immigration expert, but I know a thing or two about the process because I became the citizen of the US couple years ago. Citizenship oath is the final part of becoming a citizen. You have already been approved for citizenship. Oath is a formality, so it would be highly unlikely for them to check to if you have been charged with something in that short period of time. When I came to my citizenship ceremony, all they did was made me sign in on a sign-in sheet and then they took away my green card because I wasn't gonna need it anymore. But to be on the safe side, consult an attorney who also specializes in immigration laws.

    2) This I don't know. I am not familiar with Pennsylvania laws.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    well i looked at the immigration stuff and i wanted to ask you what kinda of questions they asked you before you took the oath, because as you can see im kind of in trouble as it is and i don't want that to get in the way of me becoming a citizen

    please let me know thanks

  5. #5

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    Hopefully, you are not confusing citizenship interview with citizenship oath. Citizenship interview is when you show up and they ask you a bunch of questions from the history of the US, etc. I don't remember anyone asking me if I was ever convicted of anything. But if they ask you, you can say no, because (depending on when your court date is) you most likely won't be.

    If you already went through the citizenship interview and only have to go for an oath, then they won't be asking you any questions. You will just show up, sign-in and sit in the big auditorium-type room with probably hundred(s) of other people where somebody will be going on and on about your duties and responsibilities of a citizen and then judge will come in and will read an oath. All of you will be standing while he reads it and either repeat everything after him/her or at the end everyone will just say something like "I promise" and then that's it. The judge will start calling out people one by one and give them their proof of citizenship.


    You said you are 20. You may be eligible for diversion (depends on the state and even county), which would let you keep your record clean. I would also expect judges in the states where expungement is not an option to be more lenient towards first time offenders (I am just assuming this; legal experts, please, don't chew me up if I am being completely off-base here). The best thing you will do is hire a good attorney. That will be money best spent and can save you from having a permanent record.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    yeah we are working on getting an attorney as we speak.

    and yeah i already took the interview, but couldn't get the oath date because they couldn't find any data of me registered for selective service which i was since 2008. i recently send them the proof of me being registered now im awaiting on the date i have to go for oath.

    The court i most likely i have to go to is gonna be in bucks county, and i read somewhere they ask you what you have been doing since the interview if its longer than a day, so are you sure that they won't ask me the questions on whether i've been arrested, convicted etc.

    so please if you can help me out based on the information i have if you need more information please let me know

    Thanks

  7. #7

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    Ok, so when you find a lawyer, ask him about the availability of various programs that may be applicable to you.

    I don't know where you read that, but my oath was scheduled about 1.5 months after my interview and nobody asked me anything like that. Nobody asked me anything at all and same was true for others because before I went to that big room, i hung out there and saw that other people were treated in the same way - they signed on sign in sheets and green cards were taken away from them. I wouldn't worry about citizenship right now because I don't think smth will go wrong with it at this point. Besides, it is not like you are a KGB spy and have commited a crime of Federal proportions.lol. And even if you have to go to court for this before the oath date, it is not like you are going to be convicted on the first date. It would take 2 or more visits.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    Thank You so much for your advice and it has helped me a lot to get through my freaking out state

    and yes i had a chance to talk to my mother who went through the same process as you did which really comforted me and when you said the same thing as she did which really comforted me thank you so much once again

    and yeah we have a meet with our attorney soon so hopefully i can get into the programs that we might have a chance of getting in some how

    Once Again...
    Thank You so much

  9. #9

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    You are welcome. Someone I know had to go through smth like this, so I know how stressful that can be. If it were up to me, I would impose big fines on the first time offenders instead of convicting them and for the second time I would make the punishment even harsher than what it usually is (for not learning the lesson the first time). That way, people who made a mistake once wouldn't be punished too bad. And especially in the states were expungent is not an option. Jeez! But it is not up to me, unfortunately.

    Good luck to you.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Retail Theft Pennsylvania

    P.S. Obviously, I was talking about shoplifting AND under felony amounts.

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