Do I need a lawyer if I'm caught for shoplifting?

If you are jobless and you have no assets, you can get a free lawyer, and you may need one. But the free lawyer is probably going to be overworked and will basically rubberstamp your case all the way through the DA's office. read more

The larger problem is that if you do not already have a record, this will create one. Often times, it is not the police who catch people shoplifting, it is the loss prevention people at the store who then call the police. Since the police did not observe the crime and it is a misdemeanor, they have to apply for a criminal application. read more

You need to do some combination of: Google criminal defense lawyers in your area and call them; Call the court and ask what to do if you can't afford an attorney; Go by a lawyer's office and ask for advice; Call the police and ask what to do if you've been charged with a crime and can't afford an attorney; There's a whole bureaucracy system out there. read more