Need law help

My cousin is living in CA, and got a shamed law case, she stealed an item worth $15 from store and need to go to the court, she regrets what she did very much and cried. As this kind of case, does she need a attorney? that will be very expensive, like about $1500. Can she just go to the court by herself? What the proper action should be? Please please give an advise to save her life if there are anyones know about this. We can read chinese. Thanks

JUST GO TO THE COURT BY HER SELF,THAT IS IT.

We are very glad to see your reply, thank you so much for the answer!

Do you know:

What kind of questions the court will ask, and how to give the better answers?

My cousin』s english is not very well, can she handle this by herself in the court or will court provide a translator?

She is a green card holder, will this case affect her immigration record when she apply her citizenship?

Will she get a criminal record?

Does she need to prepare anything before she goes to the court?

Where to get more information about this kind of case?

What is the detail of the court procedure?

Sorry for so many questions, but we greatly appreciate your help!

What kind of result she is going to get if she goes to the court by herself? Thanks

我建議你去找一位華人律師，正常情況下比較便宜的，在紐約是這樣的，我不知道在加州會是怎麼樣？

Thanks for the reply!

I have asked chinese attorney, they will charge about $1500, that's why we want to make sure if she can go to the court by herself.

Maybe you can pay a less expensive consultation fee to an attorney, and ask all the questions you have about court situation, then, let her go to the court by herself, that will be a better way I think. Hope this will at least give you some ideas. Good Luck.

找一個律師是非常值得的。花多少錢也要免掉這個犯罪記錄。
翻譯通常法庭會提供。但是如果有翻譯會讓陪審員感覺不好。好像是從外國來的小偷。

我作為一個陪審員正在參加一個 theft case 。他請了一個非常專業的律師。他有翻譯。翻譯不知是自雇的還是法庭的。還有三四天法庭才判決。到時候我也許能給你提供一些建議。
這是一個 500 圓的 case 。卻至少動用 50 人一個星期的full time 工作。

Thanks so much 散落的雪 & EagleEye, you all give us the hope, we really need help in the difficulty, we still have some time to wait for more answers and more information, please keep continue to help us.

昨天（也就是審理的二天）這個審判提前結束了。公訴方和辯護方庭外和解。具體的細節法官沒有說明。可惜無法把更進一步的資料告訴你。
總之我認為律師是必要的。

Thanks alot, you are very kind.