in 2008 i went into a liquor store with my former friend to redeem my free bottle of wine. while i was looking t wine, he decided to steal a bottle of alcohol. a subpoena was sent to my former residence without my knowledge. and now in october 2014 i was detained and released later the same day. my trial is this coming wednesday. i am charged with theft of less than 100 dollars. i failed to retain legal aid in time and i am just curious as to the most likely outcome to my case.
Scott R. ScherrCar / Auto Accident LawyerLutherville, MD ·
You should either retain an attorney before Wednesday or ask for a postponement in court to get an attorney or the Public Defender. Theft under $100.00 carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $500.00 fine. A conviction would impact your future job prospects. If you did not participate in the theft, you have a potential defense to the charge. Moreover, this happened six years ago and the State may not be able to get the needed witnesses into court.
No one can tell you what will happen in court, but jail is unlikely if you have no prior record. Good luck!
Hire an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. If you cannot afford private counsel ask the court to appoint a lawyer for you when you appear.
Most likely outcome is you will be found guilty if you show up without a lawyer. It would be silly to risk jail time, guilty verdict to a crime of theft and you have a valid defense.
You may still be able to retain a lawyer between now and Wednesday. You can always try to contact a criminal defense lawyer via phone or email over the weekend. I would not recommend appearing pro se, specially with a prior record.
Andrew Thomas HovermanCriminal Defense AttorneyMontgomery Village, MD ·
With a case so old it is difficult to say what the most likely outcome will be. The witness(es) may not work at the liquor store, may have moved away from the area, completely forgotten about an event now 6-7 years ago, or even show up to court. However, you should never rely on all the things that could go in your favor when you are facing criminal charges and should seek the services of an attorney. With only two days prior to your case, it may take out the possibility of obtaining a Public Defender as the case is currently scheduled for Wednesday. Applying for the services of the Public Defender takes time, usually with a deadline of 10 days prior to your court date. A private attorney may be able to enter their appearance and obtain a postponement (although this cannot be guaranteed). If you obtain a postponement on your own (again, cannot be guaranteed), you should immediately either apply for the Public Defender or a private attorney.
