What should I plead to a misdemeanor case of retail theft?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What should I plead to a misdemeanor case of retail theft?
This is my first offense.
Asked on April 24, 2013 under Criminal Law, Illinois
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If this is your first offense, you may be given something known as "diversion". This is a legal remedy employed in such cases that will leave a defendent with a clear criminal record. With a diversion, the defendant pleads guilty to the charge in court and is then given a special type of sentence (typically community service, fines, etc.). If all terms of the probation are successfuy completed, then the charge is withdrawn and the case is dismissed. The criminal history record is then cleared.
That having been said, you can only be granted diversion once, so you may want to try and fight the charge because if you're ever arrested again, it won't be available to you. At this point, you should speak with a criminal law attorney in your area.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.