Shoplifting Defense Strategy – Plea Negotiations
One effective defense strategy that our experienced shoplifting defense lawyers use to fight shoplifting charges in New Jersey involves plea negotiations. It is legal and acceptable for the superior or municipal prosecutor to negotiate a plea agreement on shoplifting cases. This is not banned, as it is on marijuana cases and DWI cases.
If we pursue this route to the best outcome in your shoplifting case, our attorneys will go into court and talk to the prosecutor about the circumstances of the case. We will inform the prosecutor of your clean record, and will discuss with the prosecutor your background, including your job and possibly your professional license. Ultimately, our lawyers will make the prosecutor aware of the damage that a criminal conviction could do to your life.
In some cases, we will speak with the prosecutor about getting the charges against you downgraded to a municipal ordinance violation. This is a violation of local law. It is the equivalent of a ticket for littering. You will pay a fine, but you will avoid having a criminal record. This is an extremely favorable result. Instead of facing jail time and a permanent criminal charge on your record, you will simply incur a fine.
Hackensack Shoplifting Defenses: Theft Defense Attorney
In your shoplifting case, if the prosecutor does not negotiate the charge down to a municipal ordinance violation, our NJ shoplifting attorneys may still be able to negotiate down to a more favorable criminal charge like disorderly conduct. A disorderly conduct charge will look a lot better on your record than a shoplifting charge, which is a crime of moral turpitude and a theft offense.
We use several other shoplifting defenses, including:
- The Facts or Circumstances Defense
- Failure of the Witness to Show Up in Court
- Failure to Provide Discovery
If you’ve been charged with shoplifting in New Jersey, contact our Bergen County criminal defense team 24 hours a day at (201)-330-4979 for a free consultation about your case.
