Paramus Shoplifting Lawyer

Thousands of Shoplifting Cases Handled in Paramus with Great Results

“Shoplifting charges in Paramus carry severe penalties, including jail time. You want a lawyer on your side who has a history of helping clients beat their shoplifting charges.”

Do you need a lawyer for a shoplifting charge in Paramus? We can help. We have literally handled thousands of cases in Paramus over the years with great success.

The Tormey Law Firm is a team of criminal defense attorneys and former NJ prosecutors who have represented clients successfully in Bergen County facing criminal charges such as shoplifting for the last 17 years. In fact, Mr. Tormey opened his office in Paramus when founding the Tormey Law Firm in 2012 after working for the US Attorneys office and two of the largest criminal defense firms in the State. Now, Mr. Tormey and his associates fight shoplifting cases in Paramus court on a regular basis with great results. Contact our offices anytime for a free initial consultation at 201-556-1570.

Paramus Shopping Centers – Shoplifting Charges?

With the number of shopping malls in Paramus NJ, there are a host of alleged shoplifting offenses committed including at the following locations:

• Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall – One Garden State Plaza Parkway
• Paramus Park Mall – 700 Paramus Park
• Paramus Place Shopping Center – 165 Route 4
• Bergen Town Center – Bergen Town Center
• Paramus Town Square – 240 Rt 17
• Forest Midland Shopping Center – 440 Forest Ave
• Paramus Plaza – 545 Rt 17 S
• Paramus Crossroads – 315 NJ-17

In addition, there are a number of grocery stores in Paramus where alleged shoplifting crimes are committed including Stew Leonard’s, Shoprite, NetCost Market, H Mart Paramus, Paramus Food Center, and Whole Foods Market.

If you or a loved one needs assistance after being falsely accused of shoplifting in Paramus NJ, we can help.

Real Shoplifting Charges Handled in Paramus Court by Tormey Law Firm with Tremendous Results

Travis J. Tormey represented a client charged with shoplifting in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11. The value of the allegedly stolen merchandise was less than $200, which meant that the shoplifting charge was graded as a disorderly persons offense and handled in the Paramus Municipal Court. If the value of the goods had been more than $200, this would have been an indictable shoplifting offense, which would have been handled in the Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ. The maximum sentence permitted for a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey is six months in the Bergen county jail. Subsequent offenders face enhanced penalties, including jail time and community service.

NOTE: In addition, shoplifting is considered a crime of moral turpitude. So, anyone convicted of this offense who is not a United States citizen could jeopardize their immigration status and even be deported.

Potential Outcomes of Shoplifting Charges in Paramus Court

A seasoned criminal defense attorney at the Tormey Law Firm will get all of the discovery (evidence) from the State and draft a comprehensive defense strategy to fight your case in court. The evidence typically includes police reports, witness statements, videos, and any other evidence the State possesses and intends to rely upon to try to prove the shoplifting charge against you beyond a reasonable doubt.

Once we receive the evidence, we will determine the strength or weakness of the State’s case. Even if the State has a strong case against you including an eyewitness and the alleged shoplifting was captured on video, it doesn’t mean that you will always get a shoplifting charge on your record.

If you have no prior criminal history and you have never used a diversionary program before, you are eligible for a conditional dismissal in the Paramus Municipal Court. This is a diversionary program for first time offenders which allows the defendant to plead guilty to the charge and be placed on probation for one (1) year. If the defendant successfully complies with the terms and conditions of probation, the charges are dismissed at the end of the one year period. You can only use this program once in your life.

NOTE: Even though the case is dismissed, you have to plead guilty to the charge to enter the conditional dismissal program. This factual basis on the guilty plea to shoplifting can cause problems with immigration even though the case is ultimately dismissed. It is imperative to consult with immigration counsel prior to resolving your shoplifting charges if you are not a United States citizen.

Shoplifting Charges Dismissed Paramus Court thanks to Travis Tormey

In this case, the shoplifting charges against the defendant were dismissed for two reasons. First, the State failed to provide discovery at several conference dates prior to the trial listing. Despite Mr. Tormey’s continued request for discovery and the filing of a motion to provide discovery, the store (Kohl’s) failed to produce either the report associated with the incident or the videotape footage associated with the incident until the day of trial. Nonetheless, the judge still could have granted the State an adjournment and listed the case again for trial.

However, the store employee who appeared for trial as the State’s primary and sole witness was not employed at the store at the time of the alleged theft and was not familiar with the two employees who were present during the alleged theft. Moreover, the store employee could not testify to the validity or authenticity of the videotape footage because he was not working at the store at the time.

The defendant has a right to a speedy trial and the Judge dismissed the case for lack of prosecution.

How to Expunge my Paramus Shoplifting Charges Off my Record

If the case is dismissed against you completely, like in this case, you are eligible to file for an immediate expungement to have the arrest removed from your record. If you take a conditional dismissal and successfully complete the one year probation, you have no criminal record as the case against you was dismissed. However, there is still an arrest record. Under NJ law, you have to wait six (6) months after you finish the program to expunge the arrest from your record. Finally, if you have been convicted of shoplifting you are eligible to expunge that off of your record in 3-5 years (if you can show good cause it can be 3 years) depending on what other charges you have on your record. You should speak to an experienced expungement lawyer who can look at your background (known as your criminal case history or “CCH”) and determine if you are eligible for an expungement.

Best Defenses to Shoplifting Case in Paramus NJ – Contact Us Now

Since the State was unable to prove the shoplifting charge against the defendant, the charges were dismissed. This result was a great victory for both the defendant and the Tormey Law Firm.