Help With A Shoplifting Charge

[panther10758]

If your county has Diversion you wont need to spend more on expungement later. Keep calling and if they offer free office visit take them up on it.

[watergirl45]

the first place I called and already told me what my options would be and that he charges $1000 and he takes care of everything I wouldn't even have to go to court. I asked him about a public defender and he said I would go to court with about 200 other people, watch a video and then wait to be called up and asked what I wanted to do and thats when I would request a public defender. Would it be in my best interest to just pay $1000 and get an attorney to take care of everything? Also at a free consultation aren't they all going to basically say the same thing?

[watergirl45]

oh and I would want my arrest record expunged should I just go ahead and do that now with an attorney or wait since the one offers it all together

[panther10758]

Maybe maybe not. I fail to see where this Attorney mentioned Diversion. You should talk with more Attorneys meet with them in thier office then decide.

[watergirl45]

no he told me thats most likely what would happen is that I would have to do a diversion program and how it won't go on my record once I finished it. He was actually very helpful but I have never had to hire an attorney before so I don't know how all this works. But if they all are about the same price I don't want to have to keep calling around to hear the same thing.
This is actually the guy I called
http://www.shawnrhsmithlaw.com/profile.php

[panther10758]

If you qualify for diversion is no need for expungment because there is no conviction.

[watergirl45]

but doesn't the arrest show up on your record or no because I wasn't really arrested they just had a police officer show up

[panther10758]

Most background checks don't include arrests. In fact most job applications do not ask about arrests. Yes you can expunge your arrest but you must wait several years before you can do that.

[watergirl45]

I wasn't really worried about a background check. Not only is my moms best friend a cop but my boyfriend has several cops in his family and I was worried about them seeing it on my record. Not only that but I work in retail and when I move my boyfriends mom will be my district manager so if she hears of it I could lose my job.

[panther10758]

Well first it might be too late. Second considering the time involved in getting the arrest expunged they could likely see it