A criminal theft case can proceed in many ways in California. First, the accused can raise one or more legal defenses to their theft charge at a criminal jury trial. If the jury accepts one of those defenses, then the court may dismiss the case.
Although the accused individual does not have to satisfy any legal burden of proof in a criminal theft case, a robust legal defense can often negate one or more of the underlying elements of the theft charge. As a result, the court may dismiss the charge.
As an alternative to taking a theft case to a jury trial, the accused individual might accept a plea deal from the state prosecutor. Our skilled legal team can help you negotiate with the state prosecutor and pursue a favorable plea deal to you in your case.
Whenever an accused person decides to accept a plea deal in a criminal case, they typically plead guilty to a criminal charge in exchange for one or more concessions from the state prosecutor. For example, in exchange for entering a guilty plea, a state prosecutor might reduce a theft charge from a felony offense down to a misdemeanor offense.
Alternatively, they might offer the accused individual probation. If the accused completes their probation satisfactorily, any conviction in the case may go away.
By pleading guilty to a theft offense, the accused person gives up their right to a jury trial, as well as their right to an appeal.
The knowledgeable Orange County theft attorneys at Chudnovsky Law can help you determine whether a particular plea deal is beneficial under the circumstances. We can also help you decide whether to accept a specific plea deal from the state prosecutor or take your case to a jury trial.