Final answer:
In court, unintentional shoplifting can be defended under the defense of mistake of fact.
Step-by-step explanation:
In court, unintentional shoplifting can be defended under the defense of mistake of fact. Mistake of fact is a defense that applies when a defendant genuinely misunderstands the facts of a situation, leading to their unintentional criminal behavior. In this case, if the defendant can prove that they genuinely believed they were not stealing the case of soda, such as by showing that they did not notice the item in their cart or accidentally forgot to pay for it, it can be argued that their actions were a result of a mistaken fact and not intentional shoplifting.