Should I pay a civil demand?
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Should I pay a civil demand?
Asked on December 13, 2014 under Criminal Law, California
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
No, you should not. And do not contact them, answer their calls or letters. These are scare tactics used by attorneys paid for by the shop seller to bully you in to paying what under the law you would not have to pay. If you took something worth a dollar and it was returned unused and could be resold then there was no loss to compensate the shopkeeper for. If what you took and was recovered could not be resold then they will have to bring a lawsuit against you to recover for their actual damages (and not attorneys fees under the California Penal Code).
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