Legal Analysis on Jim Winn's Theft Case (Case Study Sample)

LEGAL ANALYSIS
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
RE: JIM WINN CASE
FACTS
Jim Winn is a sixteen year old high school student. Winn was at a party when he gave his friend Renz Henderson his car keys as he had blocked his (Renz’s) on the way. Winn was not drinking any alcohol at the party. Winn was arrested and charged with theft and his car was impounded.
LEGAL ISSUES
1 According to O.C.G.A. § 16-8-14, Is Jim Winn guilty of theft?
2 Did law enforcement have the right to impound Jim Winn’s car?
ANALYSIS
1 According to O.C.G.A. § 16-8-14, Is Jim Winn guilty of theft?
My client, Jim Winn, is not guilty of theft. Win was enjoying himself at a party organised by his friend Patrick Glaze when the theft occurred. On Sunday morning, Winn was arrested and accused of stealing beer at a grocery store near Glaze’s home. Consequently, his car was impounded pending the outcome of his case. Jin is not guilty of stealing any beer.
The 2017 Georgia Code § 16-8-14 of Theft by shoplifting states that “A person commits the offense of theft by shoplifting when such person alone or in concert with another person, with the intent of appropriating merchandise to his or her own use without paying for the same or to deprive the owner of possession thereof or of the value thereof, in whole or in part, does any of the following: Conceals or takes possession of the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment; Alters the price tag or other price marking on goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment; Transfers the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment from one container to another; Interchanges the label or price tag from one item of merchandise with a label or price tag for another item of merchandise; or Wrongfully causes the amount paid to be less than the merchant's stated price for the merchandise.”
Based on the facts of this case, Winn was at the party and was not drinking. In fact, Winn was trying to have a dance and a date with one Miss Suzy Johnson. Winn spent the entire time at the party with his friend Suzy Johnson. He only gave Renz his car keys so that he (Renz) can move Winn’s car out of the way. Later, Renz gave Winn back his car keys. According to O.C.G.A. § 16-8-14, one commits a felony of theft when there is an intent to do the same.
In this case, Winn made a big mistake of giving his car keys to Renz. However, he did not commit any felony of stealing any beer. In fact, the police did not indicate that they found alcohol or any other stolen item in Winn’s car when it was impounded. Based on these facts, my client Jim Winn cannot be