Legal Question in Criminal Law in Alabama

Re: shop lifting

You are eligible to be treated as a youthful offender. This would keep you from being convicted and having a record. Most first-time offenders are put on unsupervised probation and required to pay a fine and court costs. You need a lawyer to help guide you.

Re: shop lifting

Before going to court, you need to hire a lawyer to assist you with this matter. If you just walk into court without a lawyer, you may find yourself spending time in the local jail. Many people do not realize that a lot of judges put people in jail for shoplifting, and if you don't have an attorney you are going to wind up with a criminal conviction and possibly jail time.

If you have an attorney, several options may be available to you. Being 18 and a first-time offender, you are eligible for youthful offender status. If you are granted youthful offender treatment, then the records of any conviction would be sealed, similar to the way that juvenile records are sealed. This will prevent you from starting your adult life with a criminal record, which will cause you problems when you are trying to find jobs in the future.

Depending on the situation, you may also be eligible for pretrial intervention or deferred prosecution. This is another way that a conviction can be kept off of your record.

Do not go to court to find out what is going to happen, get a lawyer before you go to court so you have some control over what happens. Our firm handles criminal defense cases, and we would be glad to discuss the situation with you.

Good luck, and if we can be of assistance please feel free to give me a call.