Howard County Theft Penalties

A theft charge in Howard County can lead to serious penalties that can be devastating to the defendant and loved ones. Consequences for theft charge can be large fines or even possible jail time, which make getting the help of an experienced Howard County theft lawyer extremely important.

Criminal Consequences

The most significant Howard County theft penalty is incarceration. Any theft under a hundred dollars can put somebody in jail for months. The more serious values can lead to years and large fines.

Additionally, misdemeanor charge has two levels. There is theft under a hundred and theft under a thousand. Both charges carry jail time although theft under a thousand carries 18 months whereas theft under a hundred just carries a couple of months. If it is over $1,000 stolen, then it is a felony variety and it carries potentially years of incarceration.

Aggravating Factors

Having a prior conviction can seriously affect a Howard County theft charge. It hurts their credibility in the eyes of the court and can be used against an individual if they want to take the matter to trial. Secondly is that even in trying to work at a resolution, someone who has a clean record will get some more benefits than a person who has a prior record. Especially in the same kind of charge as theft that they are not going to get, and a judge will think that a much more serious punishment would be appropriate.

Probation or Reduced Sentence Options

Although most defendants do not see it as one, it is a benefit that the judges bestow upon individuals instead of a punishment.

Probation or reduced sentence options are a benefit and one could definitely work it out because judges want to see people succeed. Judges generally do not punish necessarily harshly the first time or even the second time. They give the benefit of the doubt to get everything back on track. Only when they violate that is there a problem, but these are ways of minimizing the harm or trying to get good results for them.

How An Attorney Can Help

Having the help of an experience of an attorney is important. If charged or even suspicious of a charge, it is crucial to consult with an attorney immediately. The penalties for a Howard County theft charge can be serious and lead to large fines, or even possible jail time. An attorney will be a spokesperson, advocate, the one that could challenge the evidence and the strength of the state’s case and put forth a defense. Everything that needs to be done is what the lawyer does to help the individual charged.