Legal Question in Criminal Law in Washington

Re: Bail forfeiture?

I assume your defense attorney was referring to a "bail forfeiture", which can be described as a No Contest plea. It is not a conviction; however, a charge is not "dropped" when a defendant forfeits bail. The court will enter an order of forfeiture in the amount of $100 and your record (court file, WSP & FBI history will indicate as much. It will not show up a non guilty plea.

It is possible that your attorney has negotiated a dismissal of the charge that requires you to pay $100 in court costs or perhaps a donation to some organization

You could explore another option: compromise of misdemeanor. If your employer is agreeable, the matter can be handled by a civil settlement involving restitution. a civil penalty (couple of hundred dollars), and possibly court costs. The court dismisses the charge.

If you did not commit the offense, perhaps you should consider trial. A theft on your record will stick with you for a while and is not something future employers will take lightly, especially if they make the connection between your record and your employment history.