Maryland | Criminal Law
Legal Question
Yesterday, I was caught stealing under $100 worth of items from JC Penny. Their loss and prevention personnel picked me up, filled out all their paperwork and call the county police. The officer showed up and wrote me a citation. I am currently waiting to hear about my court date and all of those things. My question is what can I expect out of this? I heard you can get up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine. The JC Penny personnel told me that they can seek restitution for their items up to three times the amount. So will I have to pay restitution, possibly a court fine, go to jail, AND have this on my record? My biggest concern is the jail part and the possible black mark on my record. I want to know how to avoid those two things. This is my first offense (other than a speeding ticket which I paid a fine and received probation before judgment on) and I have been banned from the store for life. I'm 22 years old, I have a full time job, and I'm in school. I don't want to keep the job I have forever so I don't want a record to keep me from working in my chosen career. Also, should I or should I not hire a lawyer? I don't have the money to pay for one and I'm not sure how to contact a public defender or maybe just a local attorney's office for advice. I don't know if they should come to court with me or if their advice is all I would need. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
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