Q: My son who is 17 stole an item valued at 80 dollars from Macy's he was given a summon to appear in a court July 14
In independence mo, also store demands 250
A:
Even though he is 17 years old, he is considered an adult for court purposes. You need to hire an attorney to represent him so he doesn't end up with a conviction for stealing on his criminal record. Having a conviction for stealing can prevent a person from being able to get a job, rent an apartment, etc.
The $250 civil demand is completely separate from the criminal case, and paying the civil demand will have no effect on the criminal case. Most experienced attorneys advise their clients to refuse to pay the civil demand.
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