Top Mamaroneck, NY Shoplifting Lawyers Near You

Have You Been Charged with Shoplifting?

If you have been charged with shoplifting, you will have the option to hire an attorney or have one appointed to you. Hiring a skilled shoplifting attorney can help protect your rights before and during trial.

Types of Shoplifting

Shoplifting can fall under the crime of theft, which is defined as the taking of a person’s property without consent and with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. Shoplifting, is more specifically the theft of goods from a retail establishment. Shoplifting can be physically removing an item from a store without paying, price switching, refund fraud, returning clothes after they have been worn, and even eating food in a supermarket as you shop that you do not pay for. Depending upon the specifics of your case a Mamaroneckshoplifting attorney can help explain to you the charges against you and the various possible defenses to your case.

Best Time to Seek Legal Help

No matter what your legal issue may be, it is always best to seek legal help early in the process. An attorney can help secure what is likely to be the best possible outcome for your situation and avoid both unnecessary complications or errors.

Tips on Approaching an Initial Attorney Consultation

• Use the consultation as a means of gaining a better understanding of your legal situation.
• Ask the attorney how many cases similar to yours he/she has handled. An attorney’s experience and knowledge can speak to their expertise (or lack of) in addressing your situation.
• Your attorney should be able to articulate roughly how long a case like yours will take to resolve and what sort of procedures to expect.
• Determine how comfortable you are working with the lawyer and/or law firm.

Types of legal fees:

Bill by the hour: Many attorneys bill by the hour. How much an attorney bills you per hour will vary based on a number of factors. For instance, an attorney’s hourly fee may fluctuate based on whether that hour is spent representing you in court or doing research on your case. Attorneys in one practice area may bill you more than attorneys in a different practice area.

Contingent fee: Some lawyers will accept payment via contingent fee. In this arrangement, the lawyer receives a percentage of the total monetary recovery if you win your lawsuit. In sum, the lawyer only gets paid if you win. Contingent fee agreements are limited to specific practice areas in civil law.

Flat fee: For “routine” legal work where the attorney generally knows the amount of time and resources necessary to complete the task, he/she may be willing to bill you a flat fee for services performed.

Common legal terms explained

Plaintiff – a person or party who brings a lawsuit against another person(s) or party/parties in a court of law. Private persons or parties can only file suit in civil court.

Judgment – A decision of the court. Also known as a decree or order. Judgments handed down by the court are usually binding on the parties before the court.