There’s no doubt that violent crimes such as murder and assault are very serious. These offenses also involve hefty criminal penalties if someone is convicted.
However, serious crimes don’t need to have a violent element. White collar crimes are also taken very seriously at both a state and federal level. Forgery is one common example of a white collar crime. Just what kind of activity is considered forgery under the law?
The element of deception
Forgery usually involves an attempt to replicate or copy a document or item of value. Nonetheless, copying or replicating something in itself is not necessarily a crime. For example, if you painted a copy of a priceless painting to hang on your wall and enjoy, this is not a crime.
However, if you subsequently attempted to sell this item and pass it off as the original, this constitutes forgery. For a charge of forgery to stand, there must be an attempt to deceive another party.
More examples of forgery
Traditionally, check forgery has been one of the most common types of this offense. Check forgery can occur in numerous ways, such as altering a check so that an unintended beneficiary receives the money. In some cases, a signature may be copied and then forged on a new check.
Forgery can occur in various ways, but the key elements are the replication or copying of existing documents with deceptive intent. Facing charges of this magnitude is very serious. If you have been accused of forgery or any other white collar crime, it is crucial to get legal guidance to protect your rights.