Second Time Offender Shoplifting

[floridagirl]

and if i plea no contest what will the result most likely be i dont know if it will make a difference if i tell the judge i had sent kohls a letter of apology.. and do u think i should go talk to the school i wasnt sure if they might really care since it was shoplifting its not like im a sex offender

[panther10758]

Writing letter might help talking to school is up to you. However walking up to court with no Lawyer and say no contest throws you at the mercy of the court. the judge can impose the max sentence or be kind. If you have an Attorney he can arrange a plea deal that can give you a reduced sentence possibly. You can certainly do that but I see it as unwise

[blueeagle]

I repesented myself for DWI, but I know all the laws too. I would suggest you request a public defender when you go to court.

[thisreallysux]

i had a similar situation.

i'm over 18, first time shoplifting offender, it was 25 bux so it was a misdemeanor, and i was a substitute teacher at the time. this was less than two months ago.

if the school is in the public schools system, once you are working for them it is part of your responsibility, and might be explicit in your contract, to self report any arrest or incident like that. then they decide what to do. they took me off the sub-list (basically gave me a leave of absence), pending the court's final disposition, meaning, at the end of the case you meet with them personally, they ask you questions and they decide whether to keep you or to drop you. in the meantime, you're out. I chose to self report. So there is a chance they will not fire me permanently if the courts final disposition is in my favor. If i had not self reported the incident, that enough and in itself is sufficient for them to terminate me. so if you do get hired, (given the chance that the background check happens before the charges are filed) find out with the office of professional standards if it is part of the policy to self-report arrests ("arrest" includes paper arrest without going to jail), that way you will not lose your job permanently. oh and look for another job asap.



i recommend you get a public defender asap. i hired my own lawyer, got another job and moved on...my lawyer is going to my court date for me and i dont have to do anything. once i met with him he explined all the possibilities and options for me and even though it is expensive as *&#!, its worth it for my peace of mind and for the best possible outcome.

i have a clean record, so i am eligible for a diversion program, once i complete it theyre dropping the charges. but my lawyer is trying to get the case dropped before that with the DA. i dont know if the offense committed when you were a minor will be taken into account. but trust me, get a lawyer, you'll feel a lot better after you do.

also, if you do this often (like i used to), you might want to speak with a counselor too. compulsive shoplifting is like like...compulsive anything...eating, drinking...it is linked to anxiety and stress, and even though it doesnt justify it, it helps to know that it might be part of a bigger problem, so you can find a solution.


best of luck, and dont do it again.