#1 ·
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice here, maybe from someone who has dealt with something similar.
Here’s the deal: my girlfriend went shopping over in Austria—I think it was at an H&M—and she ended up swiping some shirts. They caught her, the police showed up to take down all her info, and they let her go after she paid a $100 fine on the spot to cover their "administrative costs." She thought that was the end of it, but then a formal summons arrived in the mail for a court date in Austin. Apparently, she has to show up to answer for the attempted theft. I should probably mention the total value of the stuff she grabbed was about $115. Obviously, she’s going to go, but what actually happens there? Are they going to detain her or what? I did a little digging into the local laws and even reached out to our embassy. They told me this isn't exactly unheard of, but said it’s best if she shows up. They mentioned she’ll most likely just face a fine, though they couldn't give me a ballpark figure. They also recommended some lawyers in Austin who speak English fluently. Now I'm stuck wondering: should I call those lawyers, or should she just show up on her own? I have no idea how much the whole ordeal might cost, so if anyone has any info—especially firsthand experience—please help me out!
Thx
I’m looking for some advice here, maybe from someone who has dealt with something similar.
Here’s the deal: my girlfriend went shopping over in Austria—I think it was at an H&M—and she ended up swiping some shirts. They caught her, the police showed up to take down all her info, and they let her go after she paid a $100 fine on the spot to cover their "administrative costs." She thought that was the end of it, but then a formal summons arrived in the mail for a court date in Austin. Apparently, she has to show up to answer for the attempted theft. I should probably mention the total value of the stuff she grabbed was about $115. Obviously, she’s going to go, but what actually happens there? Are they going to detain her or what? I did a little digging into the local laws and even reached out to our embassy. They told me this isn't exactly unheard of, but said it’s best if she shows up. They mentioned she’ll most likely just face a fine, though they couldn't give me a ballpark figure. They also recommended some lawyers in Austin who speak English fluently. Now I'm stuck wondering: should I call those lawyers, or should she just show up on her own? I have no idea how much the whole ordeal might cost, so if anyone has any info—especially firsthand experience—please help me out!
Thx