Monticello, GA Criminal Defense Law Firms & Lawyers

Once you go to court and plead guilty real quick to get it behind you real quick, then you will have a conviction for theft on your record forever. Then you can write back and complain about how you cannot get a job with this theft on your record.

No one can tell you what exactly is going to happen. Generally speaking, first time offenders for low-level theft related offenses do not serve jail time. But you haven't even been convicted of anything yet, so don't get too far ahead of yourself.

No, there is no requirement that you be advised ahead of time that an indictment is going to be returned against you. Grand jury proceedings are considered secret. In general terms, this means that the authorities are not allowed to reveal matters occuring before a grand jury. If you are a target (loosely defined as a person against whom the government has evidence of involvement in a crime for which she may be charged) or a subject of a grand jury investigation, the government may want to question you about your involvement in the crime under investigation. In that case, the U.S. Attorney's Manual requires federal prosecutors to advise you in writing of your right to counsel and to invoke your Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. If you think you are the target or subject of a grand jury investigation, you might consider retaining a lawyer to open communications with the prosecutor. Sometimes the prosecutor will confirm her intention to indict you, engage in plea negotiations before the indictment, or agree to a surrender instead of arrest when the indictment is returned. However, other times, prosecutors will request that the indictment be sealed by the Court until your arrest, to reduce the chance you will flee to avoid prosecution. Since a criminal indictment is a serious matter, seeking legal counsel at the earliest opportunity is a good idea.