If you are facing theft charges, all hope is not lost. You may think that you are in for jail time, expensive fines, or other punishments handed down by the court. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case. Remember, just because you are charged with a crime does not mean you will be convicted. The saying “innocent until proven guilty” is still true and it is possible to find a defense that works for your situation and even get your charges reduced or dropped altogether. If you need help with your theft charges, remember it is always best to work with a lawyer to help you during this time.
What kinds of defenses are there to theft?
You may feel like you are stuck in a corner with evidence piled on top. It is important to remember that even with the evidence pointing against you, you can still have a solid defense. Your lawyer, like a criminal defense lawyer from a law firm like Law Group of Iowa, will examine the evidence, look at the facts, and talk with you about a possible defense strategy. One of these strategies may be:
- You were intoxicated. In certain situations, it is very likely that you did take an object without asking. However, if you were intoxicated at the time and did not realize you were taking someone else’s property, you could show the court that you truly did not intend to commit theft.
- You thought the item was yours. There is a likelihood that you thought the item in question was actually an item that you owned. If, for example, you grabbed a leather jacket off the back of a chair because you had the same or similar jacket, this is a reasonable defense. In this scenario, you may need to show a receipt for the jacket or pictures of you wearing the jacket.
- You were framed for stealing. This can happen if someone else is intending to steal an item and needs a way out. They may drop an item in your purse or your pocket either with the intent to frame you or with the intent to let you carry the item out and then get it back.
When you are facing theft charges, you do not want to have to go to court alone. For more help, reach out to a local lawyer who can help you with a defense strategy to combat these charges.