Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Re: Shoplifted help me

At 18 years of age, one is considered to be an adult in this state for practically every purpose (other than drinking alcohol) EXCEPT criminal prosecution. In order for prosecutors to charge a person with a crime as an adult, that person only needs to be 17 years old. So, though you are not legally old enough to vote, serve in the military, move out of your parents' home or be considered competent enough to enter into contracts on your own at your age, you are still old enough to be charged as a regular adult. It is one of my biggest pet peeves with this state's legal system! However, if this had been charged as misdemeanor theft, your age would allow you to ask the judge to expunge this conviction. But it sounds like you were issued either a county or municipal retail-theft citation (if you are not required to go to court to plead "guilty," then it's usually just a ticket that we're dealing with). In any event, you could go to court and ask the prosecutors and/or the judge to consider amending that ticket to something else that wouldn't look so bad on your record (depending on whether all the factual circumstances would fit into any other type of charge). They'll usually work with you and do something if you do take the time to go to court, so don't be afraid to go. In any event, a shoplifting ticket is not going to ruin your life and will have little, if any impact on things like college applications and military-service or other employment applications. Just tell the truth to people in the future, and you'll see how forgiving most people are of such a petty, little thing. After all, there but for the grace of God do we ALL go (I got busted myself ripping off candy bars from Walgreens when I was a bored, mischievous teenager, and it didn't keep me from being granted a Top Secret security clearance in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps for more than five years during the cold war, and it didn't keep me from becoming a lawyer - I learned my lesson from it). Good luck, and just don't do that kind of stuff ever again!