The term “forgery” refers to a variety of white collar crimes that include the duplication of a signature, document, or other object made with the intent to deceive another person. The person is then guilty of the crime of fraud if they go on to pass the item forward as being genuine or authentic.
This offense may include anything from writing false checks on an open account to forging someone else’s signature on a document, tampering with public records, and credit card fraud. If you are accused, the conduct is regarded as a crime and might result in federal consequences as well.
Relevant examples
One of the most challenging aspects of forgery and fraud to establish in a court of law is the replication of papers. Unless elements of a document have been replaced with fraudulent information and presented as authentic or original, simple photocopies of documents are often not regarded as either forgery or fraud. However, it is if it can be shown that a signature has been imitated or that the quantity of money was changed for the advantage of someone else, usually not the account holder.
When checks or other forms of legal cash are imitated in order to make money, it is regarded as forgery or fraud. Fraud occurs when anything is created, paid for, or given to a third party while being real. In the majority of circumstances, this will become a federal offense and entail a far more severe and harsher sentence than a mere felony.
demonstrating it in court
It is essential that you get the top criminal defense lawyer you can find if you are ever accused. The justification behind this is that because there are so many intricacies to the offense that must be demonstrated, you cannot possibly defend yourself in court.
Examining every piece of evidence in the case and comparing it to the whole body of law is necessary to establish forgery in court. This will be done by professionals skilled in recognizing the smallest detail in contrast to a genuine, verified original, and will include signatures as well as every other feature of any fake document. It may be difficult to argue against this, but a skilled criminal defense lawyer would be able to make a variety of arguments on your favor.
varieties of defenses
Your criminal defense lawyer must establish two possible defenses before the charges against you may be reduced or dismissed. The first line of defense is to demonstrate that you lacked purpose at the time the alleged crime was committed. The charges can be lessened or eliminated if he can demonstrate that when you signed that name on a check, for example, you really thought you were in the right.
The second defense relates to the actual paper. The prosecution must demonstrate that the amended or newly formed document was done so with the intent to defraud another party of their rights, money, or property. The charges may be reduced or withdrawn if this cannot be sufficiently shown to the court’s satisfaction.
Penalties
Creating any document that may reasonably be used to gain goods, money, or benefits with the purpose to deceive is considered forgery in Florida and is deemed a third-degree crime, punishable by penalties up to $5,000 and five years in prison.