Forgery Lawyer
Forgery isn’t just faking a signature on a report card, but it follows the same idea. Forgery has to due with the intent to defraud someone by faking their identity, whether with a signature or an entire document altogether. It can even be defined as destroying an important document.
FORGERY STATUTE
Forgery can occur when someone purposely defrauds another person by completing documents, altering documents, or erasing or destroying a piece of writing without permission.
A person can be charged with forgery if the person:
- Makes, completes, alters or authenticates any writing so that it purports to have been made by another or at another time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case or with different terms or by authority of one who did not give such authority; or
- Erases, obliterates or destroys any writing; or
- Makes or alters anything other than a writing, including receipts and universal product codes, so that it purports to have a genuineness, antiquity, rarity, ownership or authorship which it does not possess; or
- Uses as genuine, or possesses for the purpose of using as genuine, or transfers with the knowledge or belief that it will be used as genuine, any writing or other thing including receipts and universal product codes, which the person knows has been made or altered in the manner described in this section.
- The offense of forgery is a class D felony.
PENALTY OF CONVICTION
Depending on how serious the crime, people who are charged with forgery can face a range of penalties due to the details of the crime. Penalties can include jail time to up to seven years, $5,000 fines, or community service.