My question involves criminal law for the state of: FL, TN, GA
I was recently given a citation for shoplifting in GA (in Feb.) I have a court date coming up, but do not know what to do. It was a huge misunderstanding. I was hired to do a mystery shopping/shoplifting visit by a company whose ditzy secretary sent me to the wrong department store. Apparently she was drunk or something I am not sure. I was supposed to get caught shoplifting and then see if the store treated me poorly because of my disability, I have a mental health disability. Anyway, I have heard that others were hired (in GA, FL and TN and maybe in one of the Carolinas) and are in the same predicament, but Belk's is being a pain. They say they have never heard of such "operations". The problem is I was not allowed to tell that I was doing an undercover operation and I was told that afterwards, management would take care of it. I think this is probabaly true, but since it is the wrong store, management is not "taking care of it." The company that hired me was based out of FL and has recently fired everyone I guess because of this fiasco. The owner has been nice and helpful, but I am lost on where to go. If I could only find the other people, maybe we could make Belk's understand that it was just a misunderstanding. Apparently this company does not have many records so getting names from them has been very difficult. Suggestions?
I have tried to be patient and understnad that people make mistakes, but not with my name. I only got paid $25 for this "operation" in a gift card, and it helped by my kids Easter basket stuff, but the costs are horrendous. If anyone is out their who had this happen to them, please post. I have to find you all. I understand that there were 8 or 10 people sent to the wrong place, but since subpoenas don't have clout out of state, I am screwed. I have heard some folks did diversion programs but I don't want to admit to something that I was not "stealing" but only getting caught to go through the LP process to see if they mistreated me - which they did not (of course, until now.) Any help would be appreciated.

