What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I'm not asking for myself but for someone I know. Caught shoplifting and charged with feloney burglary and feloney grand theft. Theft over $400 in California but how do they add that up? What if it was on sale for a lower price? Do they still consider the charges at retail price? It is his first offense. Getting arrested and having to spend sometime in jail for the first time has really got him thinking and to never do it again. He has been a good person and never even got introuble in school and so on. Just turned 18 in Nov 08, hanging with idiots and Stupid enough, a bad judgement leads to this. Now my question is, Should he get an attorney or just ask for a public defender? What would be better? I know both are legal attorneys but I still am not clear. If money was not an issue, he'd have an attorney already. However, if a private one is better, he is willing to pay. Not that he is trying to fight it, but atleast avoid the harshes punishments and not to ruin the rest of his young life with felonies on record. What would you do? Thanks
*****EDIT-
I'm not asking for myself but for someone I know. Caught shoplifting and charged with feloney burglary and feloney grand theft. Theft over $400 in California but how do they add that up? What if it was on sale for a lower price? Do they still consider the charges at retail price? It is his first offense. Getting arrested and having to spend sometime in jail for the first time has really got him thinking and to never do it again. He has been a good person and never even got introuble in school and so on. Just turned 18 in Nov 08, hanging with idiots and Stupid enough, a bad judgement leads to this. Now my question is, Should he get an attorney or just ask for a public defender? What would be better? I know both are legal attorneys but I still am not clear. If money was not an issue, he'd have an attorney already. However, if a private one is better, he is willing to pay. Not that he is trying to fight it, but atleast avoid the harshes punishments and not to ruin the rest of his young life with felonies on record. What would you do? Thanks
*****EDIT-
We have an attorney now and his office is saying that his charges have been filed as misdemeanors, and that they will appear in court for him. Where do I go about looking that up? Thanks
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