Q: How do I defend myself against shoplifting charges in Los Angeles. Not guilty, charges are due to misunderstanding.
I was accused of Shoplifting at Target. Left 2 small items in cart during checkout, paid for everything else. I refused to sign any admission of guilt w/ store, they filed charges. I wasn't arrested, & the officers expressed that they felt I hadn't committed wrong, offered to appear in court on my behalf if needed & said they'd mention it in the report, but had to cite at stores request. No priors, charge is 1 count 484(A)&490.2 - Officers said to appear & explain and I should be fine - nervous! Court date is tomorrow at LAX courthouse.
A: I know you don't want to hear this, but get a lawyer. Besides, how sure are you the cop will come and/or even be available without a subpoena? The more innocent you are, the more of a reason to get a lawyer. Cleaning up a mess you created on your own will be more expensive and possibly impossible at a later time, just because you wanted to save some money. Call me if you need representation. And if it was this easy to get legal help online, why would we go to law school and pass ridiculously hard exams? There must be some value in getting a lawyer. People only realize the value after they attempt a short cut or saving money by self representation.
A: If your court is tomorrow, ask the judge to grant you time to find a lawyer. If you can't afford one, public defenders are great--they really are good attorneys but tend to be over-worked.
A:
MORE INFO NEEDED.
YOU NEED TO RETAIN A LAWYER ASAP OR ASK FOR THE COURT TO APPOINT A PUBLIC DEFENDER AT YOUR ARRAIGNMENT.
GIVE THEM THE INFO ON YOUR WITS ETC.
BE SURE YOU HAVE ALL INFO ON THEM. WRITE OUT A SUMMARY AHEAD OF TIME SO THE LAWYER CAN GET ALL THE INFO CORRECTLY
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