What am I looking at if someone is trying to press charges against me for theft by deception for less then $500?
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What am I looking at if someone is trying to press charges against me for theft by deception for less then $500?
I recently had a home party go wrong and am in the process of refunding the guests money , I have already gave $350 and know she is saying she is going to the district court because she had not received the rest. I plan to pay the rest back this week and she reuses to answer or return any of my calls to discuss this matter.
Asked on July 28, 2012 under Criminal Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
Andrew Goldberg
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Theft by deception is a misdemeanor charge, meaning it is less than a felony but more than a summary offense. If you have no prior criminal convictions, you'd be looking at probation ( court supervision but no jail time ) and restitution for the amount not yet paid back. If you have no prior criminal convictions, you may be eligible for a first time offender's program such as ARD. If you are accepted into and successfully complete the ARD program, the result is no criminal conviction for the theft charge. Although no criminal conviction results, ARD typically includes 1 year of probation and community service hours. In Delaware County where I practice, the costs of ARD is approximately $1,050.
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