If you’re arrested, the court will make certain—somewhat subjective—judgements on your character. If the judge considers you to be an extremely low-risk defendant—e.g., you have no previous criminal record, and your arrest was for a minor crime—they may release you...
Theft & Property Offenses
What should you do if you’re facing vandalism charges?
Vandalism is a serious crime that damages property that does not belong to you. It includes a range of crimes such as graffiti writing, egging vehicles, breaking windows or even destroying someone's webpage. Vandalism has a number of potential penalties depending on...
These property crimes could land you in prison
Several types of property crimes can get you into deep trouble with the law. Some include burglary, shoplifting, arson, robbery, larceny and theft. Each of these varies slightly from the other, but all have the potential to be charged as misdemeanors or felonies. Take...
Violated probation? Here’s what happens now
One of the things you don't want to do if you're on probation is to violate it. Violating probation gets you in deep trouble in some cases, possibly even resulting in you going to jail or prison. Not all kinds of probation are violated in the same way. Overall,...
Looting arrests grow to the double digits in Florida
When a natural disaster takes place, there may be a situation in which stealing is the only way for a person to survive. That is a far cry from looting items that are not necessary for survival and are only being stolen to make a profit. This is an important...
Defend yourself against allegations of looting in an emergency
If you are caught in a natural disaster, one of the last things you're going to worry about is the legal consequences of stealing when you need something to survive. When a natural disaster hits, one of the main questions people have is whether or not it's a crime to...
Theft is more than borrowing items without permission
Larceny and theft are sometimes considered to be the same under law, but some states still keep them separated. Larceny itself is the unlawful taking of someone else's property when he or she hasn't given you permission and with the intention to keep the property from...
Vandalism can result in jail time and heavy fines
You thought it was funny to throw eggs at your teacher's car last night, and you weren't aware that they could cause actual damage to the paint. What you didn't know what that the teacher was prepared for acts like this and had a security camera installed on the...
A theft charge: The penalties you may face for theft convictions
Theft is a charge that ranges in severity depending on a number of factors. For example, if you steal a candy bar, you shouldn't face the same charges as someone who steals a car. Sentencing ranges from repaying what you owe to facing time in prison. Normally, when...
Vandalizing property: You could face a felony or misdemeanor
It's easy to be persuaded by others that performing graffiti or defacing property in some way is a good idea. Maybe it's meant to be a joke or wasn't meant to cause harm, but the fact is that vandalism of any type is a criminal act. When you destroy or deface a...