Petty theft is punishable by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or both. Of course you are looking at jail time. Call my offices to arrange a consultation. With the assistance of an attorney, you may not have to go to jail.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 8/10/2010

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

If this is your first theft offense, you are typically not looking at jail time, although it is possible. However, the consequences of a conviction can still be severe. You may have extensive fines, community service, Caltrans, and probation. In addition, a theft charge is "priorable", meaning that if you get charged with even a petty theft in the future it'd be a felony. For all of those reasons, it is strongly recommended that you get an attorney to represent you in court. A good attorney may even be able to make it so that you don't get convicted of this crime. We offer a free consultation. Call us to discuss your case.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 8/10/2010

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Much depends on the court (and the county) that you will be going to. You don't specify that. However, if your case is in LA, you are probably not looking at a jail sentence. However, there are OTHER consequences associated with being charged and convicted of petty theft. For example, a petty theft conviction is a crime of moral turpitude and can have a much greater negative impact on your life than (even) a jail sentence. If you'd like to discuss this further
with me to find out what I'm talking about, please don't hesitate to call me. Good luck.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 8/10/2010

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.