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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    1

    Default Sentenced to Probation and a County Work Program for Shoplifting

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Florida.

    Okay if it matters i live in the palm beach area. Really simple. I was arrested of shoplifting in a department store and went to jail and had a 100$ bail and paid a cash bond. This was the 1st time i was ever booked for something i did. The department store went back in there video's i guess and said they had me on camera for 2 other times months beforehand so i was charged with petty thief under 100$ total of 3 charges. On my record it states 1st offense. I am not going to go into how stupid i was and do not need someone putting me down just a simple question for someone who is not going to ever get in trouble again.

    I went to my 1st court date and was offered 6 months probation a small fine and a few hours of service. And for the other 2 i was offered 55 days in jail. Now to me this was really way out there for a 1st time offense as it states on my court records.

    I got a lawyer and he told me he thought he could get a good deal. Well after 3 months of him going to court alone for pre trail conference dates etc as he told me i was not to go to court unless he told me to. He also stated that it would take awhile to get the best deal.

    Well last week was Docket Sounding date and also a trial date set for the 13th of June. Well i knew i was going to this court date because it was the last date before trail. Well i got there 10 min early and did not see him. I went in and seen all the public defenders talking to there clients and 1 by 1 going up and taking a plea offer or going to trail. Well i found out he called the court and told them his car broke down just outside Orlando and was not going to be able to be there. Now this lawyer has a good rep from the reviews i read but car break down? really?. So i went up and the judge told me what i knew about him not being there and set the trail date for the 13th and said for me to contact my lawyer.

    Well my lawyer called me the next day and said he was sorry he did not make it there and said he had a offer to give me which was 1 year probation and 30 days of working for the county police department. Now i remember the judge way back at my 1st court date saying that if people got jail time they may be able to get something like that where you work 1 day a week for the county so to me it is like 30 days in jail.

    Anyway all of this for my question which is how do i know my lawyer fought for the best offer he could get me? he never made it to court to even get a offer from the DA so i guess he called or had this offer for awhile now. So how do you know if my lawyer fought for the best offer he could get or just took whatever the DA offered?


    Again please do not put me down i learned my lesson and moving on. Also he said i would plead guilty so those petty ones will be on my record. I just think it is a lot for it saying on my court records online 1st offense. If i was some long time crook or been in trouble before i could see it. But all i want to know is how do i know my lawyer got me the best lead deal....Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Sentenced to Probation and a County Work Program for Shoplifting

    If you want to know what other lawyers in the area believe you would have received as a disposition based upon the full facts of your case, contact some criminal defense lawyers in the area and see if they'll give their impressions.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,419

    Default Re: Sentenced to Probation and a County Work Program for Shoplifting

    You only have a misdemeanor,you got keep in mind that you have three of the same shoplifting charges. A 2nd time offender sometimes gets a little jail time,3rd time more likely,you did the same thing 3 times. You should be happy since you had two more charges,they are not able to bump it up to a felony. Honestly,his deal seems good,30 days of working for the county police department. Doesn't that sound better then sitting in jail for a month or more. The da see you stole two other times,it looks bad,in their eyes it's bascially like it's your 2nd and 3rd time for the same charge. Near me I seen people get probation for serious felonies,on a 2nd time shop lifting charge for under $300,I seen the judge give people 30 days like it was nothing.

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