Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

Re: Charged with a Class A Misdemeanor

In 1996, the Legislature changed the theft law's to the format of a ladder if you will, i.e., the larger the amount of money the more severe the punishment. In other words, in your case the amount of the check that you wrote was more than $50 but less than $500 should have been a Class B misdemeanor and not a Class A Misdemeanor. However, a Class B misdemeanor is still punishable by fine and/or jail time or both. Since it is a theft, it is considered a crime of moral terpritude, and will cause problems in getting a job. If you did exactly as you say you did, i.e., pled out paid the fine and the restitution, then you received a final conviction. If this is the case to my knowledge you will not be able to expunge this from your record or seal it either way. The first thing I would do is go the courthouse and get certified copies of the records from the case to see exactly what the records show. If it shows you charged with Class A instead of Class B, I would talk to an attorney in my area about getting at least that correction made.