Can I be charged by the police afterI settled out of court with the wronged party?
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Can I be charged by the police afterI settled out of court with the wronged party?
I was fired 3 months ago from my job for taking money from my register. The day I was fired I was told that i would probably be charged with a misdemeanor and have to go to court. After 3 weeks of not hearing anything I received a settlement request asking for me to send the exact amount of stolen money to the law offices of the business. Since I of course wanted to do that to make it right, I sent out the money right away and the file was closed. Now, almost 2 months later, my mother saw in the paper a police report with my name. It said that the police filed felony charges against me. What should I do? Do i need to speak with a criminal defense attorney? In Butler County, PA.
Asked on September 11, 2010 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
Yes, indeed, go and speak with an attorney as soon as you possibly can. Bring with you all the letters and documentation you have regarding the matter and showing that you paid the money back (which can be considered "restitution" by the court). It seems to me that this settlement request was assumed to take the place of their filing charges (at least that is what you assumed, correct?) but they went ahead and did so anyway. It seems odd that they would publish the report in the paper without ever having come for you personally after the report was filed. But your attorney can straighten that out on your behalf. Do not wait until they come with a warrant and handcuffs. Best to strike first. Good luck.
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