Q: I was caught shoplifting at a Walmart in TN,the total was under $100.They have me on camera, and have the torn packages
The police came and issued a misdemeanor ticket.
They did not take me to jail, I was told to go to my arraignment the following morning, which I did. My question is: 1) do I plead guilty or not guilty and 2) is there anyway to keep this off my record, if not is there a way to take it off my record once it's there.? I've been in trouble before, in 1997 I got a DUI.
A: You need to consult a lawyer who practices in the area of Tennessee where you were caught - that person will be the best person to advise you on what to plead and how to work on the situation with the local courts. I would advise speaking to an attorney if you want to keep the charge off your record, Virginia just adopted some new laws about probation for petty theft offenses that can have the charge dismissed after a period of time. Perhaps TN has something similar but you wont know, and perhaps a judge wont approve it, unless you have a lawyer.
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