In many cases, a theft charge stems from a momentary impulse, but that decision can have long-term consequences for your life. Even if you don’t end up spending any time in jail because of the case, you may find that the fallout from that lapse in judgment follows you for years and years. In today’s blog, we explain how a single theft charge can have long-term consequences for you life.
The Fallout From One Theft Charge
If you dealt with a theft charge in the past, you may find that you’re still dealing with the fallout of that mistake many years down the road. Let’s look at the way your life can be impacted by that theft charge, even if you weren’t convicted of the offense!
Background Checks – Theft charges will typically show up on any type of background check because of the way these cases are categorized in different databases. Even if the charges were dismissed or you reached a fair outcome, all of that information may be missing from a background check that simply flags your name as someone who was charged with theft. For an employer or housing agent, that may be all they need to move on to a different candidate, even if they aren’t supposed to discriminate based on that information.
Stigma – There is a social and a professional stigma associated with a theft charge. Acquaintances may make assumptions about you, employers may act differently because of the charge, and others may simply think differently without getting to know that whole story. There is a social stigma about certain criminal charges – like theft, domestic violence and sexual assault – that you don’t see with some other types of offenses.
License Losses And Delays – A theft charge can also cause problems for your professional license. Those with teaching, medical or similar professional licenses may face concerns from the governing board, leading to delays with license approval or even a revocation of your professional license. We can help keep a theft charge from causing problems for your professional license.
Limited Opportunities – This ties in with the point on background checks, but you may find that your personal or professional opportunities are severely limited as a result of that lone theft charge. Hopefully your friends, your employer or your landlord will let you explain your side of things, but there’s no guarantee that will happen, and that can close doors for you. You may not get that promotion, you may have a harder time finding an apartment, you may not get into the college of your dreams or you may lose friends over a big misunderstanding, all because they saw one five letter word and didn’t choose to ask you about the incident.
At Appelman Law Firm, we can help fight a theft charge or work to get your criminal record sealed or expunged so that one mistake doesn’t follow you around for years. Let us help you focus on your future. For more information, or to connect with a lawyer to learn more about your legal options, give Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm a call today at (952) 224-2277.
