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mcknero1

Junior Member
I shop lifted from Macy's worth $171, I plead guilty, the judge ordered I do 1 day of community service and pay a $120 surcharge fee, if I don't I would do 15 days jail time. This court appearance was in December of 2009 I told the judge and showed a document stating I had to have a hip replacement on February 12th of 2010, that time has passed and I had the hip replacement and all doctors letters to prove it, and a scar of course. I won't be able to do the 1 day of community service under these circumstances or pay the $120 at this time. I'm still healing and my court case is March, 12th 2010. The problem won't be getting to court, but does anyone think after I show all my hospital documents, the judge could maybe give me some more time? Would the judge actually be able to throw me in jail for 15 days after I just had a hip replaced??? I'm aspiring to be a medical student, I know I made a mistake, it's a misdemeanor, could this really haunt me?
 


JETX

Senior Member
does anyone think after I show all my hospital documents, the judge could maybe give me some more time?
How the hell would we know??
If I were the judge, I would consider that you were given the sentence in Dec 2009 (per your post).... and your surgery (excuse) didn't occur until 2/10. You now have to prove your compliance with the court ORDER on 3/12.
Clearly, you had sufficient time to do the ONE day community service and chose not to.
You also have NO excuse in ponying up the $120.
I would violate your 'probation' and throw your ass in court. Will the court agree?? No one can guess.

Would the judge actually be able to throw me in jail for 15 days after I just had a hip replaced???
Absolutely.

I'm aspiring to be a medical student, I know I made a mistake, it's a misdemeanor, could this really haunt me?
Give up that pipe-dream.
 

mcknero1

Junior Member
How the hell would we know??
If I were the judge, I would consider that you were given the sentence in Dec 2009 (per your post).... and your surgery (excuse) didn't occur until 2/10. You now have to prove your compliance with the court ORDER on 3/12.
Clearly, you had sufficient time to do the ONE day community service and chose not to.
You also have NO excuse in ponying up the $120.
I would violate your 'probation' and throw your ass in court. Will the court agree?? No one can guess.


Absolutely.


Give up that pipe-dream.
First off it's not a pipe dream.
Secondly, thanks for your response, have a nice day.
 

mcknero1

Junior Member
That mistake could cost you your dream - seriously. Yes, it can really haunt you.
It's a misdemeanor, I have no priors, I'm 21, by the time It's time for me to apply for medical school I'll be 26. I just had a rough time with osteoarthritis at a very young age, also I, just had my hip replaced, it would of been very hard for me to do community service, it's not an excuse it's more like reality. I made a dumb move, period. Guess if this site is still around when I'm 30 years old, I can tell the first replier I told ya so. :D He acted as if he knew me, and I murdered someone. I still appreciate the tough talk though definitely put me in my place.:cool:
 

mcknero1

Junior Member
That mistake could cost you your dream - seriously. Yes, it can really haunt you.
It's a misdemeanor, I have no priors, I'm 21, by the time It's time for me to apply for medical school I'll be 26. I just had a rough time with osteoarthritis at a very young age, also I, just had my hip replaced, it would of been very hard for me to do community service, it's not an excuse it's more like reality. I made a dumb move, period. Guess if this site is still around when I'm 30 years old, I can tell the first replier I told ya so. :D He acted as if he knew me, and I murdered someone. I still appreciate the tough talk though definitely put me in my place.:cool:
 

mcknero1

Junior Member
That mistake could cost you your dream - seriously. Yes, it can really haunt you.
It's a misdemeanor, I have no priors, I'm 21, by the time It's time for me to apply for medical school I'll be 26. I just had a rough time with osteoarthritis at a very young age, also I, just had my hip replaced, it would of been very hard for me to do community service, it's not an excuse it's more like reality. I made a dumb move, period. Guess if this site is still around when I'm 30 years old, I can tell the first replier I told ya so. :D He acted as if he knew me, and I murdered someone. I still appreciate the tough talk though definitely put me in my place.:cool:
 

dlw99

Member
I wouldn't tell a 21 year old kid to give up his dream of getting an education and possibly a medical degree over a misdemeanor shoplifting conviction.

Out of curiosity, if you had no prior trips to the criminal court, could you not have negotiated something that would eventually remove this from your record?

In Massachusetts we have "continued without a finding". If you stay out of trouble for a certain period of time, (6 mos - year) the matter is dismissed.
Did you just go in and plead guilty, or what?

You don't sound like you are taking this matter as seriously as you should.
You'd better BEG someone to give you that $120, get a note from the doctor saying you were physically unable to perform community service, and present it along with all of your other documents.

If you show up with no money and not having served your measly ONE DAY community service, my guess is the judge will be pissed. At the very least you'd better show up with the dough. I do hope you understand that a criminal record, no matter how small it may seem, can haunt you later on in life in ways you can't seem to imagine at the moment.
 

mcknero1

Junior Member
I wouldn't tell a 21 year old kid to give up his dream of getting an education and possibly a medical degree over a misdemeanor shoplifting conviction.

Out of curiosity, if you had no prior trips to the criminal court, could you not have negotiated something that would eventually remove this from your record?

In Massachusetts we have "continued without a finding". If you stay out of trouble for a certain period of time, (6 mos - year) the matter is dismissed.
Did you just go in and plead guilty, or what?

You don't sound like you are taking this matter as seriously as you should.
You'd better BEG someone to give you that $120, get a note from the doctor saying you were physically unable to perform community service, and present it along with all of your other documents.

If you show up with no money and not having served your measly ONE DAY community service, my guess is the judge will be pissed. At the very least you'd better show up with the dough. I do hope you understand that a criminal record, no matter how small it may seem, can haunt you later on in life in ways you can't seem to imagine at the moment.
Thanks for the response, yeah we have something here called an ACD if I stay out of trouble for 6 months my record would be wiped clean. The people wouldn't grant me that, probably because I'm 21, if I was 18 or 19 probably a different outcome. Yeah I pretty much went to court and told them hey, I messed up, I'm guilty, it will never happen again, it was the first time I've ever been in trouble with the law.

As far as taking it seriously, I really am, I'm a bit stressed out, but I don't want to kill myself over this. I will try to get the money, and that doctors letter, I really did wait till the last minute to do all of this. I just had a tough time and I wouldn't expect anyone here to understand how much of a tough time I've had physically speaking. I had to quit my job and also withdraw from classes this semester because I couldn't take public transportation to get there everyday. Anyway, just looking for a little advise that's all.

Do you think I should write my own personal statement for the judge? Along with the doctors letters and hospitalization letters would that help?
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
Honestly?

Nope.

The judge doesn't want to read what you've written (and in fact is not allowed to read such statements much of the time).

Just go to court, be prepared to pay, and take your medical evidence with you. That's when you'll get your chance to speak.

And to dlw99 - you may be surprised how many med schools won't accept even a misdemeanor on your record.
 

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