Criminal Records, Expungement 01/16/2014 812.014(2)(e) PETIT THEFT 1ST DEGREE $100 - < $300 Adjudica

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momataloss

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01/16/2014 812.014(2)(e) PETIT THEFT 1ST DEGREE $100 - < $300 Adjudication Withheld

My 18 year old son agreed to this charge. We just moved to Florida from another state. He took off on a skate board from a park. It ended up being a 12 year old boys. He returned the board and the charges were dropped by the party. I checked twice with the party that the charges were dropped. I asked what the procedures were and we were told to go to the court on the dates given and eventually the charges would be dropped. I was not allowed in the court room. He went in and a new date was given for the second date. Again they herd people in and only those with charges were allowed in the room. I specifically told my son not to agree to any charges just go to the dates as we were instructed until the charges were dropped. This we the detectives advice that was investigating the case. At the second hearing my son said he was just given a fine and the charges would go away once the fine was paid. He was told he was only responsible for court costs of $295.00. This was a 1st offense. I looked up online and this is what it says... 01/16/2014 812.014(2)(e) PETIT THEFT 1ST DEGREE $100 - < $300 Adjudication Withheld.

My quesiton is...it appears my son we charged with petty theft for taking a skate board and then returning it. He gave a written apology to the party and they told me to my face the charges were dropped. The detective said it would run its course and eventually be dropped. I am very angry about the lies. I would have gotten my son an attorney but apparantly they spoke with him in the court room where he was scared and made a bad deal for him to effect the rest of his life. He recently graduated from High School and wants to get his Real Estate License. Now how will this effect him in the future and what can be done about it.
 
Returning the item doesn't mean that no theft occurred. It doesn't erase the fact that he did indeed take something that wasn't his to take.

Regardless, adjudication withheld is about the best your son could have hoped for. Basically, as long as he keeps his nose clean, he won't have a conviction on his record (in the real sense, at least). You can look on it being somewhere between "guilty" and "not guilty". More importantly though, it does mean that your son can (generally) get it expunged.
 
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