Will I go to court?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Will I go to court?
Hi, I recently got fired from my job for stealing about $30. They sent me a letter to my home saying I have to pay $330 as a fee I guess. I will pay the amount, however I really want to know if I will go to court for this and if it will be on my record? I have never done anything like this before and I spoke to a loss prevention person and they told me that I would not since there weren’t any police present and it wasn’t a lot of money but they are not sure. I know never to do that again and I can’t help but be afraid. I’m 18 years old and in desperate need of answers.
Asked on October 3, 2016 under Criminal Law, Alaska
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
If they do not report it to the police or press charges, you will not face criminal court or criminal liabilty: the authorities only find out about thefts like this if someone reports it to them, so if no one reports it, you will be fine.
If it is reported to the police, then yes, you could face charges, even if you repay: repaying stolen money does not "undo" the theft or mean it did not occur. That said, repaying the money shows contrition and responsibility on your part, as well as reduces or eliminates the harm done, so IF this were reported to the authorities, repayment would substantially increase the likelihood the authorities will dismiss or at least let you plead to lesser charges and/or get a lesser punishment.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.