If you are charged for the first time with Petit Larceny, or shoplifting, you can expect to make at least two appearances.
If you were given an appearance ticket at the time that you were stopped, the date on the bottom of your ticket is the date for your arraignment. On that date, you will likely have to be fingerprinted by the police in the courthouse, and then go to a courtroom where you will appear before a judge.
The arraignment is always the first proceeding in any criminal case. The purpose of an arraignment is for the court to advise you of exactly what it is you are being accused of doing. The other purpose of an arraignment is for the judge to decide whether bail is necessary to assure your appearance in court.
Generally speaking, those people who have been issued an appearance ticket and show up in court voluntarily are not required to post bail.
After the arraignment, the case will likely need to be adjourned for the completion of a shoplifting program. On the next court date, proof of completion of a program will enable your attorney to resolve the case, often with a dismissal in the future.
However, if this is not your first time being charged with shoplifting, or if you have a criminal history for other types of offenses, a resolution of your case can take much longer than two court dates.
In either situation, hiring a defense attorney with experience in dealing with larceny cases is the best way to protect yourself.
The criminal defense lawyers at Naiburg Obedin and Weissman have a great deal of experience defending those accused of shoplifting. Call us at (631) 979-7777 for a free consultation.