Will there be jail time if I stole a hand bag? 14 Answers as of February 20, 2012

First, either ask for a court appointed lawyer or hire one if a complaint is filed against you. If you have never been in trouble before generally probation will be offered. Jail time depends on the facts of the case and the value of what was taken.

Stealing a handbag from a person in a public place could result in several different but related charges. What you will be charged will depend on the facts of the incident. Several of the outcomes that are possible involve jail time. All involve probation time. The next event that will happen is your arrangement. This is a hearing in court in front of a judge. At that time you will be told your rights and the charges against you. If you plead not guilty and you are charged with a felony, your next date will be a scheduling hearing. At that hearing you will be given an offer. If you do not accept the offer and plead guilty the next hearing will be your preliminary hearing. This is like a minny trial. The prosecution will present evidence to try to convince the judge that a crime was commented and that you should be tried for that crime. Next comes the trial. The first thing you should do is get an attorney! The prosecution is represented by an attorney, if you are not you go to the case unarmed.

It depends on many factors: whether it is a felony or misdemeanor, your prior record, the alleged sophistication of the offense, the amount of loss and the attitude of the DA and the judge. The worst thing about a theft conviction is the affect your record and resulting job and professional prospects. You should get an experienced certified criminal law specialist to represent you.

Yes, if you let this case get out of hand.

Do not talk to the cop! You will be sorry if you talk. They can turn any you say into a confession. That wasn't the whole story will become, (she admitted taking the purse because). They can say whatever they want, it doesn't crap unless you acknowledge what they say and turn it into a confession. You need to get help!

First, do not speak to the police. If the police are already investigating you, there is nothing you can say or do to help your own situation. Instead, anything you say or do will be used against you. Second, immediately hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer to represent you as this is the only way to protect yourself at this point and further ensure that whatever happens, you will achieve the best possible result. As for jail, it is really hard to say if this is a realistic consequence without first evaluating all the facts and circumstances involved with your case. I hope this answer was helpful. Good luck.

You are definitely facing jail time if convicted. You need to speak with an attorney immediately.

Whether or not there's jail time depends on whether or not there's a conviction... and other factors. You say it's not the whole story you shouldn't post the details online, but instead discuss them with your attorney. If convicted, any sentence depends on the facts of the case, your prior record (if any) and what your attorney can work out on your behalf.

If you returned it, they will probably just want probation, tho maybe some community service. It very much depends on what town your case is in.

Sounds like, at this point, the police are merely conducting an investigation. It is your choice whether you wish to talk to them or not (often people hire an attorney to go with them.) If you think you can put the matter to rest by talking to them then you are welcome to try, but you need not talk to them at all. If they decide there is insufficient evidence for a case, they will drop the matter. If they decide there IS sufficient evidence against you, they can either arrest you or merely forward their recommendation on to the District Attorney. The DA's office will then decide whether to issue the case or not. Any misdemeanor charge carries the possibility of up to six months in jail. The reality is that there is little chance you will see jail time on a charge like this and with no record. However, the case does not even exist as of yet.