January 4, 2016
Judge Tom
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Judge Tom

Dear Anon: You didn’t mention if you have actually been charged with shoplifting. A license plate alone does not necessarily identify who was in the car and in the store since the only information obtained through plate numbers is the registered owner of the vehicle. Therefore, you (and your friends) may have gotten lucky and will hear nothing more about the incident. However, if charges end up being filed, then you may be offered a diversion program and able to avoid a record so long as you complete the program. Typically, charges are dismissed after a person completes diversion. You will find out more if and when you go to court including what your options are. 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.