ASK A THEFT CRIMES DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN LYNNWOOD

THEFT CRIMES IN Mill Creek

Being charged with Theft is a very difficult thing. You have often been stopped, questioned, and possibly even arrested. Hopefully you were not taken to jail. Still, you are afraid of what is going to happen to you and afraid for your future.

While the consequences of a theft charge can vary as much as the different types of theft, often times we are able to work out a solution that keeps you out of jail and protects your criminal record. Here are answers to a few of the questions you may have regarding a theft charge:

I Barely Took Anything from That Store. Do I Really Need an Attorney?

For criminal charges, the wise answer is always yes. Unfortunately, even the smallest dollar value theft is routinely prosecuted in Washington State. One might think that the authorities would let the theft of just a few items, especially inexpensive ones, go. To the contrary, the most common theft charge we defend in Lynnwood and beyond is a Theft 3 (less than $750) charge.

The good news is that in many courts, especially city courts such as Lynnwood, Shoreline, Edmonds, and Seattle, we can often protect our client's record by achieving a non-conviction result. This is especially true for first-time offenders. State courts are a little more complicated, but with proper planning, similar results can be achieved. We understand that things look bleak in the beginning.

Do not let the natural human reactions of fear, anxiety, or hopelessness stop you from helping yourself in your time of need.

I Got Charged with Theft. Now What?

If you got stopped in a store for shoplifting, more often than not a police officer came and questioned you. If the officer gave you a ticket for Theft 3rd Degree, it usually has your first court date on it. Look closely at the bottom of the ticket. It should also tell you which court you are supposed to go to. If the officer told you a court date would be coming in the mail, make sure that you gave the officer a good address.

If your address is not good, or you cannot get mail there, you will not get your first court date and you may get a warrant issued for your arrest for a court date you never knew about. This happens all the time. If no officer showed up to your case at all, and you were just processed by store personnel, you will still get a court date in the mail, but it may take a few days longer to arrive.

In our over 25 years of defending theft charges in Washington State, our firm pretty much knows what you can expect as to where and when your court date will be. We can also locate your court date in the judicial information system and let you know what to expect in your matter.

With a good defense attorney it is likely that your penalties will be less than the maximum, depending on the circumstances. Your charges may even be able to be dismissed. If you have been accused of shoplifting something over $750 in value, however, the potential penalties increase and you may be charged with a felony theft. In addition to criminal charges, civil actions can also be taken by store owners to recover the cost of items and penalties.

If you have received a civil demand from a store or their law firm, be sure to review the 'what to do with civil demands from stores' section of this web site. The facts of your case need to be reviewed, particularly if you were wrongly accused or arrested. Even if you are guilty of the offense, you may still be able to keep the matter off of your record depending on what happens with your civil demand.