shoplifting.

[Bailey Guns]

It's never a bad idea to have an attorney. Having said that, you'll probably do just as well with this incident as far as court goes without that expense. Talk to the city attorney. After your first meeting with the city attorney you can always decide to hire legal counsel if you don't get what you consider to be fair treatment. But realistically, he/she wants this to go away with as little time/effort/expense as much as you do. Try to get a deferred judgment. That means she has to face consequences but there's also a reward for paying for her mistake. She'll most likely be required to pay a fine and/or restitution and have to perform some kind of community service and check in with a probation officer or city equivalent. The catch is, and this is the important part, if she keeps her nose clean and completes all the court-ordered requirements, the charge "goes away", so to speak. If she doesn't there will be further consequences.

[Gunner]

Cash, cash, cash, then some more cash. You daughter will be in debt for 1-2 yrs depending what kind of employment she can get.
You want to get her attention, NO Cell Phone, No Internet other than school required items. It's amazing how quickly you get their attention when you disable their lifeline / social network.
The flip side is IF you come down too hard on her, it might make matters worse. been there, done that with our daughter. 2nd time her phone (no cell at the time) privileges were cut it was like a bolt of lightning hit her.

Jim has an amazing point. I'm young also (21) I have seen a lot of people get in trouble and the parents come down way to hard off the bat and then there is resentment and they want nothing to do with you. Start with the social life see how it goes. I had a sister who was a wild card her problem was boys but same thing. You want your daughter to not close you out. So I'm not a parent but I heard the side of the kids stories

[th3w01f]

Still not quite sure what level this is at but I'd still suggest a lawyer.

[th3w01f]

The flip side is IF you come down too hard on her, it might make matters worse. been there, done that with our daughter. 2nd time her phone (no cell at the time) privileges were cut it was like a bolt of lightning hit her.

Jim is completely right here, you have to parent but you have to understand the consequences.

[cmailliard]

I am going agree with Bert on this - Deferred Sentence will most likely be the case. Keep her nose clean, classes, community service, and it will be expunged. Not a lawyer, just seen a handful of students with history that goes down like this.

[th3w01f]

I say fight it if possible, something small could screw her for the rest of her life.

Helping the .gov so your kids will learn a lesson went out the door a long time ago.

[Great-Kazoo]

FWIW: it's not the end of the world or hand wringing time trying to figure out "where we went wrong" "How did we ignore the signs" etc. It's life, What were you and your wife doing at her age?

Me, i racked up a few atty expenses. Last time i see him 40+ yrs later. He says, You know Before i was a congressman i use to be Jim's lawyer.

[Great-Kazoo]

I say fight it if possible, something small could screw her for the rest of her life.

Helping the .gov so your kids will learn a lesson went out the door a long time ago.

No use it as a lesson. If it appears to his daughter they are taking her side, she will never learn and "might" be the worse thing they could do.

[theGinsue]

It must be a day for shoplifting.

I was at the front door of Sportsmans Warehouse here in the Springs talking with member Scanker19 when we watched about a half dozen store workers grab a teenage girl and handcuff her. She tried to resist them but there was no escape for her. I heard her say a couple of times "i'll give you the stuff, just let me go." Probably not a good day for her.

[GilpinGuy]

Make sure the kid pays for the lawyer too. Work, chores, however it's appropriate. No free pass.

Good advice here, IMHO. It worked for me the first time I got busted doing something stupid when I was a kid. I was like "It costs HOW MUCH? HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIT!"

EDIT: I feel the need to clarify here. I was partying in the woods with dozens of folks and we got raided by the cops. Apparently we were on private property, but high school kids had been partying there for years. I was one of the unforunate ones who actually had a car there. I wasn't drunk, but I got a "Trespassing" charge when I went to get my car. It was deferred after a year of good behavior since I was under 18.

I spent a ton of dough on the freaking lawyer though.