New Orleans is a bad place to get a shoplifting charge. Every other state has laid down laws/rules that govern it and Louisiana is definitely one of them. These laws are made to be strictly followed by the residents and citizens and failure to abide by these laws will definitely raise serious penalties for the offender. Shoplifting is one of the weighty crimes in New Orleans.
Shoplifting can be referred to as the forbidden act of covertly taking or stealing goods from an open shop without the intention to pay for it. Shoplifters are usually pointed out easily because of the; expressions, body language, and nervousness that most of them display. Shoplifting is often seen as theft and it’s easily the most common kind of theft charge in the world. Theft can be described as, the act of trying to own that which isn’t yours, illegally and without the owner’s permission.
Those that engage in this act when apprehended will be taken to a law court and they will be advised to employ the services of a criminal defense Lawyer before they can be free from the hold of the police.
There are people, who get arrested for shoplifting because they were careless. Forgetfulness is a thing and it has landed a lot of people in trouble. Yes, people buy things and unconsciously forget to pay for them and as a result of this, can forget to pay for goods after shopping. Occurrences such as this could lead to a shop owner to accuse a person wrongly. Shoplifting charges can ruin a person’s chances of getting employed and name.
Anyone accused of shoplifting, often finds it difficult to prove their innocence. In this case, it’s always advised that you get you a lawyer, who understands his job. Handling shoplifting cases is usually an uphill task and always difficult for the accused.
It’s important for you to know that Barkemeyer Law Firm is the law firm you should contact if you or any member of your family is being accused and charged for shoplifting. Barkemeyer Law Firm is a Louisiana criminal defense firm that is highly trained and has strings of experiences when it comes to cases that involve shoplifting. He’s been practicing for 18 as a criminal defense lawyer. We represent people charged for shoplifting in Louisiana and its environs. We’re based in New Orleans and speak in favor of clients that are being charged for criminal offenses including shoplifting. He does a good job of letting his clients; understand what they are into, informs them of facts that have to do with their case, and guides them through every step.
Shoplifting Laws in Louisiana
In Louisiana, shoplifting is classified as the stealing of goods. Shoplifting occurs when a person tries to forcefully gain ownership of anything of value from a store via deceptive means, with the purpose of depriving the seller or merchant of his/her ownership to the said item.
A person is considered a shoplifter if they;
● Hide goods from a store
● Attempt to forcefully cajole a salesperson into lowering the price of an item.
● Sneak an item out of a store
● Damage goods to the point it becomes useless and unmerchantable.
● Exchange price(s) of goods.
Nobody is exempted from Shoplifting charges in Louisiana. Sometimes, it could be that it happened in Walmart, Target, or Belk. It’s still nothing to feet about so long as you have engaged a good lawyer that can assist you and work the defenses in your favor if you appear in a court of law.
Shoplifting happens to be both criminal and civil offenses that are highly punishable
Some of the penalties for shoplifting
● Items, valued at the rate of less than $1000 will attract a jail term of six months and/or a fine, of up to $1000.
● Items, valued $1000 or more, attracts a jail term of two years and/or a fine of $2,000.
Civil court penalties
Apart from facing criminal penalties, a merchant or seller can sue a shoplifter in civil court. Civil court tries to make sure that the accused pays a certain amount fine to recompense for their wrongdoing. Doing this will aid the merchant to regain everything they lost in the process of the Shoplifting. In a case the accused refuses to pay for the damages he/she has caused, the court has no other choice but to force them to serve other serious offenses.
Pretrial Diversion
Pretrial diversion is just like a proposal made by certain countries to the persons accused of non-violent crimes. This is often an option for unlawful prosecution as long as the prosecutor agrees to it. It is not automatic. People who are willing to do a pretrial diversion are required to ask for it. And it should also be approved by the court.
If an accused has adequately finished their pretrial program, they are expected to go on probation, where they will be asked to serve the community and make up for the losses. This will lead to the dismissal of all charges against the accused in court. However, people who participated in the pretrial diversion but didn’t finish successfully, are usually asked to return to the confines of the prison. Pretrial diversion preserves the resources of the judiciary, pushes the resources to more important cases and serves as a means through which the merchants tend to recover their l of losses. It also aids in controlling and stopping illicit activities from recurring.
Plea Bargaining
Plea Bargaining is another a means of lowering charges of an accused. In this case, the accused assents to the crime he’s been charged for and appeals to the court, to lower his/her charges. This is a method, employed by some accused persons, to enable them to get a lighter punishment. The three types of plea bargaining include pretrial program, charge bargaining, sentence bargaining and fact bargaining.
Shoplifting Lawyers in New Orleans
Often times, there’s usually evidence against an accused. It comes like a video footage or through an eye witness. The vendor can decide to search the accused and find clear evidence of concealment. Here, it’s usually not easy for the accused to defend his innocence in court.
So, what to do in this situation? Contact the Barkemeyer Law Firm. We are always ready to assist and proffer helpful solutions to you.
Barkemeyer Law Firm leads you by the hand as, your journey down the road of gaining your freedom. He’s going to ensure that your penalties get smaller, minimizes your charges and guards your image and name.
Contact us if you have a shoplifting charge in New Orleans.
422 S. Broad Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-226-2299
Louisiana DWI & Criminal Lawyers
Louisiana criminal lawyers and DWI attorneys at the Barkemeyer Law Firm providing legal defense services for clients in Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Port Allen, Alexandria, New Orleans, Lafayette, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Hahnville, Chalmette, Slidell, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John, St. Bernard, Mandeville, Covington, Shreveport, Bossier, Jefferson, and all of Louisiana.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is not formal legal advice nor does it create an attorney-client relationship.
Louisiana DWI And Criminal Law Firm
