Tiny boxes, testers, shade swaps, and loyalty redemptions can create confusion among store personnel. When a salesperson jumps to the wrong conclusion, that can quickly lead to an arrest and a shoplifting charge. If this has happened to you, obtaining legal help immediately is critically important.
A New Jersey Sephora shoplifting defense lawyer with The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall is ready to help. We will force prosecutors to prove your case beyond a shadow of a doubt, and put all of our experience to work to help you achieve the best possible result. Schedule a complimentary case evaluation to learn more about what we can do to make that happen.
Sephora’s Unique Evidence Patterns
Beauty retail has quirks that shape a shoplifting case. Items such as testers and other giveaways are often labeled identically to their full-size counterparts. That can result in confusion among sales staff and store security. They might have accused you of committing a crime when you did nothing wrong. Your New Jersey Sephora shoplifting defense attorney will obtain the video footage and scrutinize all the details associated with your case. These details include tag data, SKUs, sales records and more.
What Will Likely Happen With Your Case?
The venue where your case will be heard depends on the value of the items the store accused you of shoplifting. If that value is $200 or less, you’ll likely face a municipal court disorderly persons charge, punishable by extensive community service. However, if the items are valued at $201 or more, you may be facing a felony (indictable offense) charge. The higher the value, the harsher the penalties.
A New Jersey shoplifting charge defense lawyer will move quickly to preserve camera footage before systems overwrite it, then press for security footage, incident reports, store photos, and any price sheets the State intends to use.
If you qualify, diversion can be an early off-ramp. Conditional Dismissal in municipal court and PTI (pretrial intervention) in Superior Court could help you avoid jail time. Your Sephora shoplifting defense attorney will prepare applications, manage deadlines, and time negotiations so a diversion window is not lost while your case proceeds.
Strategies We Might Use to Defend You
Prosecutors must show that you intended to take the item to deprive the merchant of its value. Whether they claim you switched labels, moved the item from one container to another, or hid the item and left the store, the State must prove intent. A New Jersey shoplifting charge defense lawyer with our firm will slow the video, sync it with receipts, and compare SKUs item-by-item to show barcode near-matches, ordinary bagging, or tester handling rather than a plan to steal.
Another key element the State must prove is that you are actually the person who allegedly shoplifted the item. We will examine store photos and camera footage to determine if you are the person in question. Our legal team will also closely analyze the chain of custody of the item. If we find any discrepancies or failure to follow proper procedures, we will use that to help reduce or eliminate the charge against you.
Helping You Manage Your Stress
Stress management matters, too. Court notices, deadlines, and discovery can feel like a full-time job. A New Jersey shoplifting charge defense attorney will handle the legal mechanics – filings, motion practice, outreach to the prosecutor – so you can keep working and caring for family while the case moves.
Why Work With Us?
At The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, we defend shoplifting cases statewide in municipal and Superior Courts. When you turn to us, we will always keep you updated and spell out all of your options in plain English – not legal jargon. We’ll work with prosecutors to negotiate a positive result. However, we will also be ready to make a compelling case in court if those negotiations fail.
We’re eager to share more with you, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us as soon as possible. Use our online form to schedule your free case review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do shade exchanges or returns through the app help my defense?
They can, because time-stamped records and loyalty logs often support a lawful purpose when matched to video.
Can a tester or sample raise the value of an item and increase the severity of the charge?
Not without proof of a sale price; testers and samples rarely count as full-value merchandise.
What if friends placed items in my tote without me noticing?
The State must prove your intent, not someone else’s; we will use security footage to isolate your actions.
Are gate alarms decisive proof of guilt?
No. Tag alarms show an active tag passed a sensor and need context from receipts, deactivation logs, and video.
