Legal Question in Criminal Law in New York

Probably yes. Petit Larcency is a Class A misdemeanor. However, if its your first arrest, the DA will offer you a plea to something less; either disorderly conduct or an ACD, which means the case gets adjourned for 6 months and then dismissed. The advantage of retaining an attorney is to negotiate the best sentence possible. Typical sentences in this type of case, depending on what County you were arrested in, include a fine, community service and taking an anti-shoplifting class or a combination of these. In my experience, DA's often seek highter sentences in cases like these if the person does not have an attorney. I am a former federal and State prosecutor and now handle criminal defense so feel free to check out my web site and contact me if you wish to retain counsel.

It all depends on the jurisdiction. Without knowing where you have to go to court, I cannot advise you.

An expert can ALWAYS do better than a layman. To paraphrase " a man who represents him/herself has a fool for a client"That being said, you may contact my office @7188340087 for a phone consultation should you decide to retain a private attorney.