Judge Tom

The only way you would have to go to court is if the store chose to report the matter to the police which is unlikely since they said they weren’t going to and the amount stolen was relatively low. In the unlikely event that you receive a notice to appear in court in the mail, then there would be a good chance that you would be offered diversion and able to avoid a record so long as you successfully complete the terms of the program. We cannot tell you how to plead – that would be up to you. Many diversion programs do require the person to admit guilt and take responsibility for their actions. Good luck.