Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

my girlfriends daughter was stopped for shoplifting. She had walked out of a store with a wallet. The store manager brought her back in and took her too the back and had her call her mom. The store agreed to let her go under the condition that she never return to the store again. The wallet was recovered, the police were not called and no police report was taken. Now my girlfriend has recieved a letter from a law firm in florida (we are in california) representing the store, and they have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the store and would like my girlfriend to pay them 500.00 dollars. My girlfriend called them and they said that if she doesn't pay then they will start accruing charges against her increasing the dollar amount of what she has to pay? SO my question is this, can they do this. Is this legal? My girlfriend was never informed that she had a court date she just recieved this letter and now she does not know what to do.


Asked on 4/21/10, 7:46 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Yes, the store can sue shoplifters for this fee which helps defray the cost of loss prevention services so that the store's honest customers don't have to pay. She's lucky she doesn't have a criminal record, because she'd never work again. Did she receive a letter or a lawsuit in the mail? Maybe she should be seeking her own legal advice directly.

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Answered on 4/26/10, 11:01 am


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