What Is Forgery

A person commits the criminal offense of forgery when they create a false written document or when they alter a genuine one with the intent to defraud. The act does not only consist of falsifying someone else's signature; it can also include filling in the blanks on a document which contains a genuine signature, or it can mean materially altering or erasing an existing instrument. A person can be convicted for any role they might play in falsifying a document, from altering its original integrity to falsely presenting a document as authentic.

Documents of all nature have been the attempts of fraud or forgery, including but not limited to: checks, bills of exchange, promissory notes, public records, deeds, and account books, tickets for events, passes for transportation, mortgage applications, mortgage documents and many more. This is a Class 4 felony in the state of Arizona and it includes both fines and imprisonment.

A vast array of methods are employed in order to commit this type of offense. Handwriting, printing, engraving, and typewriting alterations have all been seen as attempts at forging a document to change it from its original form. In some cases, crimes of forgery can also be categories as a white collar crime or as identity theft.

It is unlawful to sign someone else's name on a document and to represent the signature as genuine. It is also unlawful to present such a document with the knowledge that it contains a forged signature; therefore, even if somebody else falsely signed the document, you could be criminally prosecuted if you presented the document with the intention of defrauding any person.

Aside from false signatures, forgery includes creating any false instrument, which on the face purports to be authentic and genuine, with the intent to mislead others into believing that it was your own work. Therefore, you must be very careful about every document you sign, from receipts to legal agreements and everything in between. The criminal act of forgery spans across an array of behaviors that anyone can be susceptible to committing if not extremely careful.

Crimes that involve the forging of documents or materials are extremely common in identity theft schemes and welfare fraud plots. This can be seen with birth certificates, social security cards, driver's licenses, and documents relating to welfare, Medicaid and food stamps. If you have been charged with forgery, you may be under the watchful eye of large government organizations in addition to your local law enforcement. If you are facing this type of serious accusation, you will need a strong criminal defense attorney representing you. If convicted, you could face felony conviction, up to 4 years in state prison, hefty fines, probation or parole and more. So don't waste another minute; contact a criminal defense lawyer right away.