What is a petty theft?

My friend was cited for $12 petty theft what must she do?

• She left JCPenny with $12 item. She was cited and was asked to appear on March 16. She wants to settle the case before March 16. What steps and processes must she do? Taken into consideration: (1) she can not afford criminal lawyer: how can she have a public defender? (2) she wants to lower the charge to disorderly conduct to avoid any criminal conviction Please provide us detailed steps to do, since this is her first time to commit petty theft

• Answer:

  There is absolutely nothing to settle, she was cited $12, she will appear in court and pay $12, end of story. There is no way to change petty theft to disorderly conduct, those are completely unrelated issues and if she tried to do this (for whatever reason) it would end up becoming an actual case. Disorderly conduct shows up on a criminal record anyway. Just show up and pay 12 dollars.