My question involves criminal law for the state of: New York
Hi. I was caught shoplifting with my friend in July, and we were both arrested as well. We have decided to never shoplift again, and so far it is going pretty well. Both of us are minors. We have moved on, and are expecting civil demands or court dates. I am slightly confused on how the whole system works. Here are my questions:
-Will I be sharing the same court date as my friend? If so, are we allowed to share attorneys?
-I read somewhere that I am entitled to a free criminal defense attorney or something, can someone confirm if this is true?
-What should I do when I'm in court? Like, I read somewhere about pleading not guilty? And ACOD's?
-Is it possible that I may receive a court date during school hours? I don't mind, but returning to school and explaining my situation to my teachers would be very embarrassing, but I guess I deserve it.
-Will this affect my future in any way? I'm not really expecting to pursue a future in retail anyways.
Again, I'm new to how all this works. Please, if you have the time to spare, give any additional pointers. I have read the guide to court ettiquite. Should I dress professionally?
Thanks in advance!

