Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

Pleading no contest is always a good idea. However it is far from the solution to your problem. You need to avoid the damage to your future a theft conviction on your record will cause.

Theft of a $30 item is a class B misdemeanor

Go to court. Ask for a court appointed lawyer.

Based on your income you may or may not receive one. If you do not, you will be given time to hire one. Do so.

Chances are you will be offered a plea bargain.

Your lawyer should tell you about your rights, the evidence against you as well as the fact that it is up to you whether to try the case or accept the plea offer or ask him to try for a better offer. If you are lucky, you may be able to get pre-trial diversion, resulting in a dismissal. These offers unusual. If you can't get a pre-trial diversion offer, ask your lawyer about obtaining deferred adjudication probation.

If you get deferred and sucessfully complete the probation, there will be no conviction. Later you can later hire an attorney to file a petition for nondisclosure which will remove this item from your record except for the courts, police and certain state agencies.

If you get pre-trial diversion and your case is dismissed, ask your lawyer about getting your record expunged. This will completly erase your case from all records.