Restitution in Mecklenburg County Robbery Cases

Restitution is an amount of money that is owed to the victim of a crime after someone has been convicted of the crime. In the context of robbery, restitution will mean whatever property was taken from the victim of the robbery must be paid back by the convicted robber. If they do not pay it, they could face stiffer penalties.

In a robbery case, restitution will reflect the amount of property that was taken from the victim. By order of the court, the robber will be required to pay that money back in the form of restitution.

If the victim of a crime is owed money, restitution is likely to be a condition of probation for the robber. Restitution will be ordered as part of the sentence, and then as part of the supervision period, and a probation officer will monitor progress toward the restitution and to make sure it is paid in a timely way.

Read below to learn more about restitution in Mecklenburg County robbery cases. And if you are facing robbery charges, you should seek the services of an experienced robbery attorney right away.

When Someone Will Have to Pay Restitution in a Robbery Case

A person will be required to pay restitution only if they are convicted of the crime. If they are not found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, no restitution will be ordered. There are some rare circumstances in which restitution can be made as part of a plea agreement to a lesser charge, but that depends on the specific facts of the individual case.

Restitution is mandatory when it is ordered by the court, but whether it is ordered will depend on whether the person is found guilty after the trial or there is a plea agreement that calls for restitution. But, if it is court-ordered, it must be paid in full by a deadline.

Stages of the Restitution Process

Restitution will be ordered as part of the sentencing, and then will have to be paid within a specified time frame. If the robber is serving active incarceration, however, they will not be required to pay restitution until they are released. Restitution in Mecklenburg County robbery cases will be monitored by a probation officer. If the restitution is not paid, the convicted person could face stiffer penalties than they originally faced.

Benefits of Restorative Forms of Justice

Punishing someone for a crime does not do anything for the victim of that crime beyond some emotional solace. Restorative justice, which restitution is, benefits the victim directly. So, if a victim has suffered a financial loss, restitution is a means of making them whole again by returning to them the property that was taken. Restitution is usually more meaningful to the victim than knowing the perpetrator of the crime is being punished.

Restitution Invoked in Cases Involving Large Entities

In property crimes, sometimes a larger entity such as a bank or a corporation is either the victim of the crime or it reimbursed the victim of the crime. This will be the case if the robber stole someone’s credit card and made purchases with it. The credit card company might reimburse the victim of the crime, and then it is the credit card company that is out the money, so restitution must be paid to the credit card company.

What if the Person Cannot Pay the Restitution?

Depending on the circumstances, someone who is not able to pay restitution might not be ordered to do so. If someone is believed to be able to pay restitution, but later determined not to be able to, they should work with their attorney to contact the court to see if alternative arrangements can be made.

The money for restitution usually is earned through employment, but employment can be difficult to obtain after a robbery conviction. This means the person has to get creative to satisfy the order of the court.

Some people turn to family or other loved ones to help them make restitution payments. Everyone will have to make that decision differently, but the person convicted of the crime is the one who is responsible for the payment. And, the restitution must not come from illegal means.

If you have any questions about restitution in Mecklenburg County robbery cases, you should contact an accomplished lawyer.