What should I expect in court tomorrow for a first time offense petty theft?
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What should I expect in court tomorrow for a first time offense petty theft?
I have no priors and no record; I was noted to be cooperative and remorseful. My roommate and I took less than $10 worth of food from the campus grill because we hadn’t eaten in over a day due to a poor sleep schedule from studying. The officer did not want to charge us with anything, he left it up to the school’s dining services and they called him back saying they wanted to charge us. Is it possible to have this charge dropped or lessened to an infraction? How should I go about doing so? I have never been to court and do not know what to say or anything. I am very scared.
Asked on January 4, 2012 under Criminal Law, Minnesota
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If the court appearance is your first appearance, you will be arraigned where you will be read the charges against you and requested to make a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest.
It is a good idea to consult with a criminal defense attorney before you decide to make a plea since you are charged with a criminal defense. Most likely since the charge is your first offense the court may just fine you and place you on court supervised probation for six (6) months or so. If you complete the probationary period without incident, most likely the charge will be dismissed without any conviction on your record.
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