Shoplifting is a serious crime. Being charged with misdemeanor shoplifting, no matter how small the amount can negatively impact your life. Not only will you face possible prison time and a fine for your actions, but you may also have trouble moving on with your life once you have served your punishment. This is because a shoplifting offense will remain on your permanent record. Persons with a permanent shoplifting conviction find it nearly impossible to obtain meaningful employment, keep a good job, apply for a good job, obtain credit, keep a professional license or obtain a professional license. You need to consider not only what a guilty plea means now, but also how it will affect your future.
How Expungement Works – Woodbury Lawyers
A plea of guilty resulting in a permanent criminal conviction for shoplifting, no matter how minor the offense, cannot be fully expunged. Many people will assume their best bet is to accept a guilty sentence, serve the time and then ask for expungement later down the road. This is not as easy as you may think and this type of offense will never be completely cleared. So keeping a shoplifting conviction off your criminal record from the outset is a priority! This is where a Woodbury shoplifting lawyer comes in.
How Do I Keep Shoplifting Off my Record?
Facing a shoplifting conviction can be overwhelming no matter what the situation is. Here is what you need to know to get out of this situation with a case dismissal. First of all, you will need a trustworthy and aggressive Woodbury attorney backing you up. Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. has 22 years of criminal defense experience. The overwhelming number of shop-lifting defendants represented by Martin Azarian has either had their cases dismissed or left the courts with no permanent conviction. In most cases you do not have to go to court, Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. will go to court for and fight for you!
Second of all, you need to understand that, when it comes to handling a shoplifting conviction, it is best to keep your mouth shut. Although it may seem like a good idea to simply explain the situation and hope for the best, this is not your smartest move. The judge will not care if ‘it was a mistake’ or ‘I only stole $100 worth of stuff.’ The judge is only interested in a guilty or not guilty plea. And thus, anything you say can and will be used against you. Even if you are guilty there are ways to keep this offense off your criminal record. Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. will show you how.
Implications of a Shoplifting Conviction
Having any type of permanent theft conviction on your record will have a severe and lifelong negative impact on your future. The reason is because almost all companies, landlords, credit bureaus, professional associations and colleges will perform a criminal background check before making any decision about their applicants. What this means is your shoplifting conviction will follow you for the rest of your life, negatively impacting everything from your ability to find a decent job to your ability to obtain a loan. It may seem like a good idea now to just do the time and move on but this is not actually your best option – doing the time now can result in a lifetime of consequences.
The key is to remain off the record from the start.
Shoplifting convictions do destroy lives. All it takes are two bad decisions- the first was to commit the crime in the first place; the second is to go to court alone or hire the wrong lawyer. Call Martin Azarian and avoid making a bad situation even worse.
Woodbury Theft Lawyers and Criminal Defense Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been arrested for shoplifting in Woodbury, then you want to make sure you have an experienced lawyer in your corner. The Law Firm of Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. can provide you with the confidence that you have the best Woodbury criminal defense attorney on your side. Martin Azarian doesn’t farm out your case to a lesser, experienced attorney. He does not have “just admitted” attorneys on his staff, or inexperienced attorneys in his office. You can be 100% confident in your Woodbury shoplifting attorney. Give Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. a call today at 952-451-4987 for your free initial telephone consultation and see how his representation can make all the difference to your case.