Intent to commit a felony

In order to convict someone of burglary, the prosecutor must prove that he entered a building with the intent that he would commit theft.

If a person enters a building and he has the intention to steal a thing, even if he changes his mind, he would still be liable for burglary.

This one means that this one is a crime of intent.

If for example there are two people who entered a building with the intention to commit a felony and then one decides that he does not want to commit the felony anymore, even if only one did the actual stealing, both are still liable for felony.

Prosecutors typically show criminal intent based on the circumstances of the case. This part is where the Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer would come in and make sure that he would not let the prosecution paint a picture.

Penalties

A burglary conviction is a serious one and it comes with a lot of penalties. The following are the penalties that a person convicted of burglary would have to face.

The fines of burglary are significant and it can range from $1,000 to a $100,000 fine. The lower limit of the penalty is if the defendant is convicted only of a misdemeanor and the penalty is $1,000.
Jail Time. The penalty of jail time is a given for serious crimes. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the main penalty would result in about 20 years or more of prison time. If it is only a misdemeanor, the penalty is up to one year.
A judge can sentence an individual for probation. When the individual is in probation, he would need to comply with the conditions set by the judge. This one is often given out to an individual who is a first time offender.
A judge may also decide for a restitution sentence where the individual has to pay victims in order to compensate them for their losses.
For the kind of individual who wants to get the right defense with a case like this one, hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer San Diego County is a necessity.