Blue Earth, MN asked in Criminal Law for Minnesota

Q: what can be done about a theft of $65 that happened a year ago

it happened in mn. a citation was sent out but there is no court date.

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2 Lawyer Answers
Thomas C Gallagher
Thomas C Gallagher
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • Licensed in Minnesota

A: Assuming the person who received the citation is asking what to do: First, respond to the citation. A citation is a Summons to court. It requires the person named to respond to arrange a court date. Failure to do so, will lead to a default conviction of a petty misdemeanor; or an arrest warrant for a misdemeanor (depending upon the charge). Either way, bad. Instead, call to set up a court date. Once that's done, most set a goal of avoiding a conviction record. A criminal conviction can be extremely costly over time, especially for theft. It's much easier to avoid; but quite difficult to attempt to fix after too late. So make best efforts to avoid "conviction" now. A criminal defense lawyer will help you get a better outcome. If you're unemployed or in poverty, apply for the public defender.

Jonathan Matthew Holson
Jonathan Matthew Holson
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Saint Cloud, MN
  • Licensed in Minnesota

A: You need to get an attorney to represent you. Other than that, you don’t provide enough information to provide an intelligent answer. Theft is a serious offense and you want to avoid having a theft conviction of your record.

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