I am 20 years , I was caught by loss prevention leaving a CERTAIN establishment ALLEGEDLY with items adding up to 241$ worth of merchandise. I was then taken to a police station to be processed. I was given a court date for November and then was released. I have never done this before and I don't know what I was thinking. I don't have any record until today. Now I don't know if I will be sentenced to jail or something. What is going to happen to me? What should I expect in court on November?
The store's name was redacted to PROTECT your privacy.
Okay, you STILL have a clean record.
In this country, you are PRESUMED innocent and as pure as a baby UNTIL the state PROVES your guilt, or you foolishly agree to plead guilty.
So, in the meantime, you stay trouble free, do NOTHING stupid, break no laws, keep a low profile, behave yourself, resist your urges to do stupid or illegal things.
Essentially, you wait, and you wait SILENTLY.
On your court date, appear early, be neat, be clean, and dress nicely.
The court has a website with its rules, Google the site, read the rules, come prepared to OBEY those rules.
When your name is called, do as requested, answer all questions posed by the judge with Yes, Your Honor; No, Your Honor (or use SIR or MADAM).
Plead NOT guilty, hire your own lawyer, if you can't afford one, say so, and ask the court to appoint one for you at taxpayer expense.
Make no statements, say NOTHING about the incident, and speak about the incident ONLY with your lawyer when you meet him or her.
The lawyer will advise you about options for a person free of any stains on their record.
What's done is done, so work to fix this, but go slowly, and know what you're doing before you commit.
