August 17, 2016
Judge Tom
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Judge Tom

We can’t tell you how to plead, but if this is your first offense and the charge is for loitering, there’s a good chance that you will be offered a diversion program. That means that once you complete the terms of the program which typically include community service hours, payment of a fine or restitution and possibly having to attend a class or counseling, the charges would be dropped and the incident would not appear on your record. You can explain your circumstances to the judge or the prosecutor you may meet with when you go to court. Good luck. (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.