Theft and Property Crime Defense in Nevada County

A theft or property charge can feel minor next to the headlines — but the consequences aren't minor at all. A conviction for a crime of dishonesty follows you into job applications, rental applications, and professional licenses, sometimes for years. How one of these cases ends depends on the details: what the evidence actually shows, what you were thinking, and how the case is handled from the start.

What counts as a property crime

The category is broad — petty and grand theft, shoplifting, burglary, vandalism, and receiving stolen property all fall under it. The exposure ranges from a misdemeanor to a serious felony, and the line between them often turns on the value of the property involved or the circumstances of the entry. Recent changes in California law have made that line more complicated than it used to be, which is all the more reason it's worth fighting over rather than taking for granted.

These are often cases about intent

Most property crimes require the State to prove something it can't photograph: what was in your mind. Theft requires an intent to permanently deprive someone of their property. Burglary requires an intent to steal at the moment of entry. A genuine mistake, a good-faith belief that the property was yours, a misunderstanding over permission — these aren't excuses, they're defenses, because they go to an element the prosecution has to prove. A police report can make intent sound obvious. It rarely is.

The hidden cost of a conviction

Here's what gets overlooked: with a theft or fraud-type offense, the sentence is often not the worst part. A conviction for a crime of dishonesty is treated differently by employers, landlords, and licensing boards than almost any other charge. That's why keeping the conviction off your record can matter as much as keeping you out of custody — and why the resolution we aim for looks past the courtroom to the life you'll go back to. (If you already have an old conviction weighing you down, there may be a way to clear it — see Expungement and Record Sealing.)

Many of these cases don't have to end in a conviction

Property cases are among the most resolvable in the system. Diversion programs, restitution, and — where the law allows — a victim who has been made whole and asks the court to let the matter go can all lead away from a conviction entirely. Before any case becomes one, I look hard at whether it has to. Often the right outcome is one where the harm is repaired and your record stays clean.

Why experience matters

These cases are won in the details — whether the State can actually prove intent, whether the value supports the charge, whether the resolution protects your record. Knowing where those openings are, and how to build a resolution around restitution instead of a conviction, comes from doing this work for a very long time. That's what I bring to a property case.

Good people end up here, too

Most people I meet on a property charge aren't career criminals — they're people who made a mistake or got caught in a bad moment, worried about their job and their name in a town this size. You'll be treated like the person you are: with discretion, honesty, and a straight answer. And you'll work with me directly, in the courts where I practice every day.