All You Need To Know About Civil Demand Letters And Shoplifting Cases In Los Angeles County

Shoplifting may not be such a serious crime, but it still is a crime nonetheless. Of course, some people suffer from certain conditions, when shoplifting is performed pretty much automatically and they just cannot help it. This may excuse some shoplifters, but most definitely not all of them. It is wrong on so many levels. Even if you think that stealing from a big and rich shop is not that bad, think again. The owner will probably make the seller pay for the thing that was stolen and an innocent person will have to put his or her money on the table.

Shoplifting (PENAL CODE SECTION 484-502.9) is punishable by law, but in certain situations the owner of the shop may prevent the case from going to criminal court. In some cases, people, who were charged with shoplifting, receive a special kind of letter from the store. In this letter, the store is asking the shoplifter to pay for the losses – a sort of restitution if you will. According to the Penal Code, the vendor, whose goods were shoplifted, has every right to demand this restitution. The seller may demand from the shoplifter to pay him or her up to $500 for liability along with the cost of the stolen item. However, there is also a certain condition – there should be a factual loss. In case the item that was previously stolen is now returned to the owner, then there is no way for the merchant to get compensation for its loss, which is a logical outcome.

The civil demand letter is something that is a part of a civil liability, not criminal. This means that in case some disagreements arise around the letter and the demands, the case will go to the civil court. The matter will be resolved between the accused and the injured party. On the other hand, criminal cases are matters between the accused and the state government. Even if all the demands of the civil letter were fully satisfied, the owner got all the compensation for the losses and restitution, the court and the prosecution may still pursue the case. If that is so and you find yourself in such a difficult legal situation, it is highly advisable not to waste any more time and to get in touch with a qualified as well as genuinely experienced criminal defense attorney at the earliest opportunity.

Only a good Los Angeles criminal lawyer will be able to use his or her skills and expertise to help you get the desired results. For instance, he may come into agreement with the owner of the store to sign a special civil compromise that will demonstrate to both the court and the prosecution that all the losses were completely compensated and there is no reason to start the case in the first place.

Yet, even this measure may not be enough in certain situations and that is why a qualified attorney will be absolutely invaluable. A good legal representative will be able to use his knowledge and his contacts to help you out and to get the case dismisses to begin with. Therefore, do not rely on yourself or a public defender – get in touch with an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney asap.