Navigating Rockville Shoplifting Charges
Prosecutors in Rockville are becoming increasingly aggressive in pursuing Rockville Shoplifting charges. There are several ways to avoid a conviction, but you need experience and a strategy.
Here are four things to know.
Don’t Waste Your Time with Your Preliminary Inquiry for Your Rockville Shoplifting
We have an in-depth article on preliminary inquiry hearings here.
The bottom line is, hire your lawyer before your preliminary inquiry hearing. The only point of such a hearing is to make sure you have a lawyer. You should always hire your lawyer in advance of the preliminary inquiry. If you hire an attorney in advance, the preliminary inquiry gets cancelled, and you can save hundreds of dollars in lost wages by not taking the day off work.
When we are hired, we immediately file a motion for discovery and demand evidence from the prosecutor handling your case. Failing to hire counsel before your preliminary inquiry wastes precious time that your lawyer could be using to build your case.
Public Defenders Who Handle Rockville Shoplifting are Overworked
You have three options for defense counsel: represent yourself (never do this), ask to have a public defender appointed, or hire your own lawyer.
Even the Maryland Office of the Public Defender believes its staff would need to quadruple to meet national standards for adequate staffing. Some public defenders have experience, but it is hard to fully utilize that experience when handling 10-20 cases on any given docket in district court.
Rockville Business Owners are Developing Sophisticated Surveillance Equipment and Techniques.
Maryland business owners are turning to AI-assisted surveillance systems. In addition, business owners are ensuring that their loss prevention officers appear in court to ensure that cases are prosecuted to the fullest extent.
In times past, businesses would refuse to send employees to testify in court due to concerns about lost productivity and wages. This is happening less and less. Winning cases just because a witness does not show up can not be counted on by a defense attorney.
Also, police are not shying away from shoplifting cases either. In some instances, those accused of shoplifting have been tased for allegedly resisting arrest.
In addition to the new technology, Maryland, along with other states, grants shop owners essentially the power to act as police and seize individuals suspected of shoplifting. Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 5-402 (a) states:
A merchant or an agent or employee of the merchant who detains or causes the arrest of any person shall not be held civilly liable for detention, slander, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, or false arrest of the person detained or arrested, whether the detention or arrest takes place by the merchant or by his agent or employee, if in detaining or in causing the arrest of the person, the merchant or the agent or employee of the merchant had, at the time of the detention or arrest, probable cause to believe that the person committed the crime of “theft,” as prohibited by § 7-104 of the Criminal Law Article, of property of the merchant from the premises of the merchant.
We Work Hard to Avoid Convictions for Rockville Shoplifting
Maryland is getting tougher on shoplifting, but there are still many more options available in this state compared to others for avoiding a conviction. Here are those options. Click on each option to learn more about these different types of disposition.
Probation Before Judgment.
ACS (Alternative Community Service).
Stet.
Nol Pros.
Hire an Experienced Rockville Shoplifting Lawyer, Today
Our lawyers, Mirriam Z. Seddiq and Justin Eisele, have over forty-five (45) years of legal experience. They have handled hundreds of theft cases over their careers.
We are also conveniently located next door to the Rockville District Court, where the Rockville shoplifting cases are heard. This allows for convenient case preparation with our clients. Due to our proximity and years of experience, we have established strong reputations in this courthouse with the prosecuting attorneys.
Call us 24/7 at 301.513.7832. Or, fill out our online intake form here, and someone will call you within ten (10) minutes.
