It can be a terrifying experience, you are detained and subsequently arrested for a petty theft charge.  What ar the consequences?  Will the offense stay on my permanent record?  These are among the most common questions that a person has after being released for a petty theft arrest.  Answers can be found by setting up a consultation with an experienced attorney local to the area where the arrest took place.  One Torrance Petty Theft Attorney, Matthew J. Ruff says that hiring a local lawyer is the most important step an accused can take to ensure that a favorable result is obtained.   Because prosecutors that will be making decisions about your future will also be from the local area, having a legal counselor that has an office close to the Court will be the best insurance that the lawyer knows the players such as the D.A., the judge and the court staff.

A petty theft charge is a misdemeanor unless the person has 2 or more prior convictions for any theft related charge.  This being so the criminal justice system can be used strategically to find and implement programs and options that can keep the criminal conviction from tarnishing a person’s future ability to obtain and keep a good job and avoid embarrassment.  The lawyer should know the best ways to go about approaching the justice system to take advantage of these strategies.  For example, Torrance Lawyer Matthew Ruff recently represented a client that was arrested and charged with PC 484 petty theft in Torrance Court.  The woman was facing the loss of her license that was required for her to make a living since the state of California sought to revoke it based on the pending case.  The attorney utilized a creative approach toe aggressively fight the charges and indeed, all charges were subsequently dropped in Court.

There is a plethora of effective strategies that exist to deal with a petty theft arrest and a local attorney can help.  Do not try a DIY approach to this type of case, the system will not have mercy on you unless you have an advocate on your side that knows the laws and the local customs and practices.