Legal Question in Criminal Law in Michigan

Re: theft

the officer is correct, your son would most likely be charged as an adult. The civil demand is separate and distinct from the case in court. You should seek a plea under advisement or HYTA status so it doesn't result in a conviction. Good luck, Tim Klisz

Re: theft

The "age of majority" for criminal cases being handled in 'adult court' is when the crime occurred on or after the person's 17th birthday. so the officer is correct that he'd be "charged as an adult" ... because he IS and adult under the laws of criinal cases.

But civil laws are different ... and there are civil laws that say that a parent is financially responsible for covering damages caused by their unemancipated children. If your child is not yet 18, or is under 18 and has not been emancipated by a court order (usually, after convincing a probate judge that he/she is mature enough and can independently support himself financially), then you as the parent have to pay for damages cause by the child. Thus, the civil demand sticks to you. Under law, stores can charge up to 10 times the value of the stolen/damaged merchandise (but the total demand is limited to $50-$200).