First, thanks for your forum, I learnt a lot tonight, and after the most confusing experience I have had, it gave me strength.
I was arrested tonight for shoplifting at a big store in New York City. First time, but I already feel unbelievably stupid and humiliated...Fingerprinted and then given a date to go to court. I am a foreign graduate student on an F1 visa, but was told not to worry about it affecting my travel unless I ran from the court date and was wanted in 49 states for Petit Larceny.
My questions:
1-Should I look for a lawyer, I can't afford one btw, even though I was assured by the police that i would get a fine and/or probation?
2-What is a diversionary program? Will the judge i see automatically offer me one, or will i have to ask about it through a lawyer?
3-If I don't hear anything until my court date and am sentenced to a fine etc, will my record be automatically expunged if I serve out the probation without screwing up?
4-If I am convicted and such, how do I apply for getting my record expunged, if it isn't already?

