Wayne County, Michigan Shoplifting/Retail Fraud Lawyer

Shoplifting/Retail Fraud Lawyer for Wayne County, Michigan

In Wayne County, misdemeanor cases are handled at various District Courts, while felony cases are escalated to the 3rd Circuit Court. Within Michigan’s legal framework, shoplifting is referred to as retail fraud. Accusations of retail fraud can profoundly affect your personal and professional reputation. Fortunately, our attorney at The Law Office of Julian J. Poota has 18 years of experience in managing such cases and is ready to offer assistance. As a fully licensed Michigan law firm, we provide representation to clients across Wayne County, ensuring their rights are protected when confronted with allegations of shoplifting or retail fraud.

Shoplifting and Retail Fraud Cases in Wayne County

Allegations of shoplifting and retail fraud stem from behaviors like removing items from a store without payment or tampering with price tags to lower the merchandise’s cost. These charges carry significant repercussions, potentially impacting future job prospects and financial stability, and may result in imprisonment or fines. Having a skilled attorney to navigate these serious allegations is crucial. The Law Office of Julian J. Poota is dedicated to providing comprehensive representation in your shoplifting case, striving tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome.

Shoplifting and Retail Fraud Degrees and Penalties in Wayne County, MI

A first-degree shoplifting charge occurs when a person does any of the following:

• While the store is open to the public, alters, transfers, removes and replaces, conceals, or in any other way misrepresents the price of an item with the intent to not pay for the item or to pay less than the actual price, when the resulting difference is over $1,000.
• While the store is open to the public, steals an item from the store priced at $1,000 or more.
• With intent to defraud, obtain or attempts to obtain money or store property as a refund or exchange for property that was not paid for and belongs to that store, if the amount of money or price of property to be obtained is $1,000 or more.

First Degree Retail Fraud (felony): Jail time of up to 5 years and a potential fine of either $10,000 or three times the value of the stolen property, whichever is greater.

A second degree Michigan shoplifting charge occurs when the accused has done any of the following:

• While the store is open to the public, alters, transfers, removes and replaces, conceals, or in any other way misrepresents the price of an item with the intent to not pay for the item or to pay less than the actual price, when the resulting difference is between $200 and $1,000
• While the store is open to the public, steals an item from the store priced between $200 and $1,000.
• With intent to defraud, obtains or attempts to obtain money or store property as a refund or exchange for property that was not paid for and belongs to that store, if the amount of money or price of property to be obtained is between $200 and $1,000.

Second Degree Retail Fraud (misdemeanor): Jail time of up to 1 year and a potential fine of either $2,000 or three times the value of the stolen property, whichever is greater.

Retail fraud in the third degree occurs when a person does any of the following:

• While the store is open to the public, alters, transfers, removes and replaces, conceals, or in any other way misrepresents the price of an item with the intent to not pay for the item or to pay less than the actual price, when the resulting difference is less than $200.
• While the store is open to the public, steals an item from the store priced at under $200.
• With intent to defraud, obtains or attempts to obtain money or store property as a refund or exchange for property that was not paid for and belongs to that store, if the amount of money or price of property to be obtained is under $200.

Third Degree Retail Fraud (misdemeanor): Jail time of up to 93 days and a potential fine of either $500 or three times the value of the stolen property, whichever is greater.

Contact us for Wayne County, Michigan Shoplifting and Retail Fraud Charges

If you or someone you know needs a shoplifting or retail fraud lawyer in Wayne County, Michigan, our experienced attorney at The Law Office of Julian J. Poota, PLLC can help you. We offer clients a free initial consultation. To discuss your current legal situation, call us at (888) 399-7979 or contact us online.

Shoplifting/Retail Fraud Lawyer for the 3rd Circuit Court

The 3rd Circuit Court is located at  1441 St Antoine, Detroit, MI 48226