Criminal Mischief
If you have “keyed” a car, or purposely damaged someone else’s property by any other means, including graffiti, that is considered criminal mischief, and it is a misdemeanor unless the damage caused was $1000.00 or more, in which case it can be charged as a felony.
Criminal mischief is a common charge for juveniles, but many adults are also charged. A person charged with criminal mischief can expect to pay to repair or replace the property they damaged at the very least. However, there are sometimes ways to avoid formal prosecution for criminal mischief if you consult an experienced attorney at the very early stages of a case. It is often possible to make arrangements that avoid involving law enforcement, or if a charge has already been filed, to have the charge dropped in exchange for repairing the damages. Such arrangements can even lead to the possible expungement of the charge from your record, thereby protecting your future from the stigma of a criminal charge.
If you are accused of criminal mischief, do not assume that things are like they used to be, when you could apologize and it was all forgotten once the damage was repaired. These days, apologizing to a victim without consulting an attorney usually leads to charges being filed that might not have otherwise been prosecuted. That is not to say that you should not pay for damages you caused, it is just that you need not also place your neck on the chopping block as well.
Like other criminal charges, there are defenses to a criminal mischief charge that an experienced attorney may assert on your behalf to achieve a dismissal, reduction, or dropping of the charge. I have extensive experience, both prosecuting and defending against felony and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. If you are accused of criminal mischief, or fear you might soon be charged with it, contact me for a free consultation to determine what is the best course of action for you. Learn from someone with the training and experience to know what to do before it is too late.
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