Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree Desk Appearance Tickets - More Serious Than You Might Imagine

By James Shalley

Getting a Desk Appearance Ticket can sometimes make you feel as if it really isn’t something that is going to be all that serious. Whether you feel that way because the police officer who arrested you told you “not to worry” or whether it is the word “ticket,” a desk appearance is always something that needs to be taken seriously.

But if you received a desk appearance ticket for Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, you need to take notice and pay careful attention to your case. Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree is an E non violent felony in New York. That’s right. Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree is a felony. As a general rule, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree involves an accusation that you stole more than $1,000 worth of property.

If you have a Grand Larceny Desk Appearance Ticket, then the odds are it is now 2020. In 2020, most E felony charges will become mandatory DAT cases. As of the time I am writing this article, (pre 2020), a person who is arrested for Grand Larceny will almost always “go through the system” which is courthouse slang for being held in custody after arrest until the case is ready to be heard by a Judge for your first appearance. (This usually takes around 19 to 24 hours, depending on which County is involved.)

Starting January 1, 2020, however, much is going to change, and E felonies, like Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree will typically be required by law to proceed by way of Desk Appearance Ticket.

Therefore, if you have been given a “ticket” for Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, don’t be fooled by this process. You are charged with a felony. There are now several important considerations in your case. You need to understand the Grand Jury process, and you need to be prepared to make a very important determination about your case at the first appearance (arraignment) that relates to the Grand Jury. You will need to make this decision regardless of whether or not you think the case is minor. Felony cases are not the sorts of cases that typically get quickly and easily sorted out at the first appearance the way some misdemeanor matters can be. False steps, even at the early stage of a felony case can, in some circumstances, have far reaching impacts.

The time that you have from arrest to your arraignment on a desk appearance ticket should not be wasted, especially when charged with an E felony like Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree. You need to consult with an attorney to evaluate the case and understand your situation so that the initial decisions that need to be made in felony cases at the first appearance can be made with the guidance and assistance of an experienced criminal defense lawyer you trust.

Now is not the time simply to show up in court on the date in your “ticket” and hope for the best.

Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree is an E felony, criminal charge. Although, in NYC, those with no prior criminal history charged with Grand Larceny will not often be facing down the serious threat of a state prison sentence, the simple fact that a state prison sentence is even theoretically possible is reason enough to take the accusation extremely seriously.

James Shalley has been practicing criminal defense in New York for more than 30 years.

Call 347-612-9830 for your free consultation with JAMES SHALLEY today.

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