If you have been charged with stealing in Beverly Hills, MO, do you know the best way to handle it? Are you familiar with the benefits of hiring an experienced attorney (and the fact that the attorney may be able to get the charges lowered or dropped)? Was the value of the goods taken more or less than $500? Do you know why that is such an important question? Are you thinking about pleading guilty (and if so, do you understand how that decision can negatively affect you in the future)?
We Keep Our Fees Low So That Everyone Can Have Legal RepresentationWhen most people are charged in Beverly Hills MO with stealing, they do nothing more than plead guilty. There are usually two main reasons why people choose this route: 1) they have no idea that there are any other options available to them; 2) they do not have enough money to hire an attorney to represent them. Either way, pleading guilty to this sort of crime is a big mistake.
As of January 1, 2017, the following laws regarding stealing / theft / shoplifting went into effect:
And if you plead guilty to this kind of charge, then you will also have to deal with some serious consequences in the future. For example, getting a decent job will be difficult (because almost all employers run criminal background checks). Getting into a college could prove to be quite an undertaking (because a lot of schools screen out candidates based on things like “morals and values”). And keeping any current governmental benefits will almost assuredly result in a revocation (such as food stamps, unemployment security, and public housing).
Pleading Guilty Is Not Your Best Option!!But we have a much different plan in mind for your case!! To begin with, we will want to take a close look at the facts of your particular situation (to see if any defenses can be asserted on your behalf). We will also want to work with the local prosecutor to see if a reduction of the charge can made (like getting the misdemeanor reduced to a simple infraction, so that nothing negative shows up on your record). And at the very least, we would try to work out an SIS with the court. An SIS stands for “suspended imposition of sentence”. It usually involves a period of probation (one to two years in length). If after the probationary period lapses you have not gotten in any more trouble (like you have not been charged with stealing again), then the original charge will drop off altogether.
The affordable St. Louis stealing defense attorneys at The Bankruptcy Company, have been helping people with their theft charges for over ten (10) years. Our goal is to make sure that the charges leveled against you do not stay on your permanent record, and do any lasting damage. And we want to do all of this at an affordable price. The fees for a typical shoplifting case start at $450. But the initial consultation to discuss your legal issues is free of charge. So contact us today!!
We have two main locations: in the Central West End of St. Louis, at 1 North Taylor (on the corner of Taylor and Laclede), 63108; and in the Twin Cities of Festus / Crystal City, at 1000 Truman Blvd (Highway 61/67), 63019. The initial consultation is free of charge. So contact us today to learn more!!