March 4, 2016
Judge Tom
Comments Off on Judge Tom

Judge Tom

It sounds like Walmart sent her a civil demand letter requesting payment of a civil fine. It’s totally up to your friend as to whether or not to pay this fee. If she pays the fee, that may be the end of the matter and she will hear nothing more about the incident. However, it’s up to the store as to whether or not to notify the police. If this happens and criminal charges are filed, then your friend’s daughter would have to go to court. Since the value of the item stolen is so low, she would most likely be offered a diversion program if this is her first offense. Good luck to your friend and her daughter. (Check our Teen Help Network for more help and resources in your area. This is information only – not legal advice.)

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.