I Only Took A Few Items. Why Am I Being Charged With What My Friend Took?
When two friends are together during a theft in the Dallas area, everything taken by both people will be added up and both parties will be charged with stealing the full amount of all goods taken. This is because of a law called the law of parties.
It makes both people guilty of the same offense if both were together at the time the items were taken. Where this causes a problem is when one person shoplifts a $20 item and one takes a $150 item.
The $20 item would normally be a ticket, but because of the total amount taken, the charge now becomes a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and up to a $2000 fine.
If you need help defending your theft case in the Dallas area, call me at 214-296-2770.
Mike Goolsby
A veteran in both civil court cases and criminal defense, Mike Goolsby is a respected lawyer with more than 16 years of experience practicing law. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas in 1990, followed by his J.D. from the prestigious Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1994. After earning his law degree, Mr. Goolsby worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. As a trial lawyer, he was able to gain exceptional access to the criminal court system in this major metropolitan area, giving him immeasurable, distinct experience that helped him build a solid foundation for his own private legal practice. Mr. Goolsby went on to practice civil law for Maverick Acceptance Group, a venture capital company. Here, he gained invaluable knowledge of the civil side of the law, adding to his already diverse portfolio of legal expertise. In 1999, he opened the doors of The Goolsby Law Firm and has been successfully serving the residents of North Texas ever since. As an attorney, Mr. Goolsby combines his experience in both the civil and criminal fields to offer unmatched legal representation to his clients. With a long list of satisfied clients, Mr. Goolsby continues to build his practice through fair and aggressive legal defense.