Walk It Through: The Jacket
$1,000 or less is a Class 1 misdemeanor, an arrest for an offense in the officer's presence, and expunction after three years.
A college student walks out of a department store wearing a jacket that was never paid for, and an officer standing by the exit sees it.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
One jacket and one conviction. Felony larceny, a merchant's detention, and expunction of several convictions are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- ArrestComplete when the person submits to an officer who has indicated an intention to arrest, or when the officer takes the person into custody by physical force; the officer then says it is an arrest and why, unless the cause is evident.
- Concealment of merchandiseWillfully concealing a store's unpurchased goods while still on the premises, a misdemeanor; goods found concealed on the person are evidence of willful concealment.
- Impaired drivingDriving while under the influence of an impairing substance, after consuming enough alcohol to have a concentration of 0.08 or more, or with any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance in the blood or urine.
- LarcenyTheft, a Class 1 misdemeanor where the goods are worth $1,000 or less, and a Class H felony above that or when taken from the person, whatever the value.
- Class A1 misdemeanorThe highest misdemeanor class. An assault becomes one when it inflicts serious injury, uses a deadly weapon, is by a male at least 18 on a female, or is against a child under 12, among the other cases listed.
- Course of conductTwo or more acts of following, monitoring, observing, surveilling, threatening or communicating to or about a person, or interfering with their property, which stalking is built on.
- Nonviolent offenseAny offense except, among others, a Class A through G felony or a Class A1 misdemeanor, an offense with assault as an element, or one requiring sex offender registration; nonviolent convictions can be expunged after the waiting periods the section sets.