[VIDEO] First Offender Dismissal for Virginia Shoplifting
If you’re charged with shoplifting in Virginia, definitely contact me so we can discuss the situation and what see what options you have.
Video Transcription
Hello, my name is Andrew Flusche. I’m your Virginia misdemeanor lawyer. A lot of people wonder when they contact me if they would be eligible for a first offender program for shoplifting. Now this is a case that depends upon the local court where your case is pending. Shoplifting is not like marijuana and alcohol where there is an official statewide first offender program. For a shoplifting case, first offender or diversion programs depend upon the local court where your case is pending, and not every court has a program like this.
This is one reason why you need a local defense attorney who knows the local courts and who knows how to defend shoplifting cases in the court where your case is pending because whereas there’s programs in some of the courts in the Fredericksburg area, there may not be programs in Fairfax. There may not be programs in Wythe County. There may not programs in Richmond. It depends upon the court where your case is pending.
My knowledge might not be as helpful to you in a case outside of the Fredericksburg area, and likewise if you talk with a Fairfax attorney, their knowledge might not be as helpful to you if you have a case down here in Fredericksburg. This is why local attorneys are important for a case like this, not local to where you live, but local to where your case is pending.
In general, for a first offender program, it does need to be your first offense so if you’ve ever been charged with any kind of theft-related offense before, most first offender programs for shoplifting are not going to let you qualify. In general, a lot of times they also look for really clean record otherwise, so if you’ve had several brushes with the law for different types of misdemeanors and now you’ve got a theft-related offense, you probably will not qualify for a first offender program in that scenario either.
The Fredericksburg city court also has an age requirement, so if you’re in Fredericksburg city general district court for shoplifting, the first offender program is not allowed for anyone over the age of 21. That can be a problem as well, depending on your age.
If you’re charged with shoplifting in Virginia, definitely contact me so we can discuss the situation and what is possible depending upon the court where your case is pending.
