Forgery is a serious criminal charge. If you are arrested for this type of crime, you need to know where you can receive help. Fortunately, attorneys like Corbin T. Volluz are committed to representing clients who are charged with criminal offenses.
The Various Forms of Forgery
Also known as uttering a false instrument, forgery is punishable as a felony in all of the US states. According to professional lawyers such as Corbin T. Volluz, forgery involves the use, possession, or altering of false handwriting in order to commit the crime of fraud. Forgery can take shape in one of various forms including signing another person’s name on a check or falsifying an academic transcript. If currency is involved in the offense, then the activity is defined as counterfeiting.
Because our society depends on the formation of honest and legitimate documentation, a forged document can have a far-reaching and negative impact on individuals, businesses, and similar entities. According to lawyers such as Corbin T. Volluz who defend forgery cases, this type of offense can be punished harshly.
The Historical Definition
Traditionally, forgery was only concerned with false writing. Possessing, offering, or utilizing false writing with the intention of defrauding was a separate yet related offense. This was known as uttering a forged instrument.
For instance, if a person uses a false identification card to receive a line of credit, he or she is guilty of uttering a forged instrument. Even if he or she did not create the false ID, he or she is still deemed guilty and accountable for the offense. Today, both offenses are considered the same under the category of forgery.
Forgery can be punished by one of a number of penalties including jail or prison time, substantial fines, probation, or restitution to the victim. Some states consider certain kinds of forgery to be only misdemeanors. Therefore, these particular cases are punished more leniently. Felony offenses can lead to a maximum incarceration time of about one year. Visit website URLs that reference legal subjects for a better understanding of this crime and similar activities.
