Civil Penalties for a Criminal Offense

On a regular basis, I will have a client contact me after he or she has been charged with a theft offense that they just received a letter in the mail from the store’s lawyers. Whether it’s Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, or others, it’s not uncommon for their lawyers to send a theft penalty letter to the accused, demanding that they pay a civil fine to the store for their alleged acts. This is something outside of, and in addition to, any criminal fines or orders of restitution, even if the items are recovered in perfect condition!

I recently came across an article discussing just this topic and how some people are even being detained and accused of theft offenses by store personnel; not the police. And what’s worse, in some instances these allegations are being made based on racial profiling.

If you or a loved one has been accused of a theft offense this holiday season, contact Attorney Robert Botnick to discuss your rights and how to address these penalty demand letters.