Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Petty Theft Fines

hi, i am 19 years old and was arrested for petty theft a couple of weeks ago. i have scheduled a court date for next month at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. This is my first offense, and i had a prior clean record. the place that i tried to steal from (the bookstore at my school), had already sent me a fine of $200 to pay for damages, which they are entitled to do under Penal Code 490.5 (C). i had just paid this fine to them, so now me and the bookstore are now all squared. my questoin is that when i appear in court, that if the judge were to fine me, will he take into account that i had already paid the $200 fine to the bookstore? and also, how much are typical fines in petty theft cases? i would like to konw typical fines because i would like to see what i should expect. and when paying fines to the court... what is the process? do i pay at the day i receive the fine? or do i usually have some time before i have to pay? thanks


Asked on 12/11/03, 10:02 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Miller Robert L. Miller & Associates, A Law Corporation

Re: Petty Theft Fines

Thank you for your posting.

The "fine" you paid the bookstore, unfortunately, is completely separate from any court fines. The code section you cited allows a vendor or store to recover the actual costs of investigation, as a civil assessment, or sue for that cost. However, that doesn't mean that it will be deducted from any court fines. If you plead guilty, or are found guilty, you will be given the opportunity to pay fines in installments, or be given up to 60 days to make payment in full. Your fine can be anywhere from the minimum of $100 to the maximum of $1,000, plus penalty assessments, which almost triple the fine, and a security fee of $20, a fee for payments of $65, and a contribution to the state restitution fund of $100.00.

I hope that this information helps, but if you want more information, have further questions, or feel that you need legal representation, please feel free to email me directly at [email protected]. It's my pleasure to assist you in any way that I can.

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Answered on 12/11/03, 10:06 pm


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