Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Re: theft

Settling the civil aspect of the matter out of court will not necessarily affect the criminal matter. While the victim has a lot to say and can exert some influence on what the prosecution decides to do, he/she does not make the decision whether criminal case is filed and prosecuted. The prosecution does according to their own criteria and whims.

That said, a skillful attorney could help you negotiate a resolution where in exchange for your restitution criminal charges would be dropped or reduced. Do not try to do it yourself by communicating with the DA. You are going to hurt your case, most likely.

Jacek W. Lentz, Esq.

310.273.1361

www.lentzlawfirm.com

Re: theft

This is referred to as a civil compromise. Be very careful here. As the previous post mentioned, civil compromises do not directly impact a criminal case. It is up to the DA how he/she views the civil compromise. The only way to have this carry any effect in your criminal trial is to have a defense attorney negotiate a deal with the DA directly that charges will not be brought. If you have not already done so, hire a private attorney.