Forgery is done when someone prepares a counterfeit document or modifies an original document for personal gains. It also involves the act of using a person's signature without his or her consent. If you have found yourself in this situation and are trying to avoid going to jail, it is important that you seek the help of Webb & D'Orazo; our attorneys are specialized in the area.
Forgery in Georgia
Forgery is a criminal offense in Georgia. Owing to its grievousness, the government carefully looks at the evidences available before passing judgment. A defendant is confirmed guilty if:
- He or she counterfeited a writing
- He or she planned to be an impostor
- It can be proved that the writing was faked
Before the statute was established, the Legislature had to re-emphasize the definition of forgery. They used its original word, "forge" to mean any of the following acts:
To forge means to change the original form. Even if you try to make it complete, it's still forgery. This may be done to either:
- Act on a person's behalf without his approval;
- Represent an account that deviates in time, manner, number or location from the original; or
- Make the public believe in a material as original and others that may come up later as fake.
Forging a writing also means making wrong entries in records or accounts. A very good example of forgery in this case is what happened in Dickson v state where wrong entries were entered in a bank's records to conceal information that could lead to the identification of fraud amongst some employees in the work place.
Forgery can also be understood as an act done to assist or aid the originator of the crime. Hence, it involves activities that aid in the transfer or propagation of forged documents. This is considered an offense under the following conditions:
- That the transferrer of the document is aware that it is forged.
- Trying to pass the fake document as something that is original and
- There is an intention to take advantage of people.
What does faking a writing mean?
Georgia law takes writing to be any form of printing or recorded information. Examples include money, stamps, coins, identification cards, trademarks, badges and symbols of value.
The Purpose to Cause Harm in Forgery
While it is easy to spot examples of forgery incidents, the government may find it difficult to know if the suspect actually meant to cause harm. To verify if the suspect is guilty or not, a check is made on his history and activities. It becomes easier and logical to affirm that the suspect is guilty of the offense if the action seems to be part of a pattern of misleading behavior.
Examples of documents that can be forged include contracts, ID cards, driver license, money, certificates and books. In Georgia, every forgery offense is either classified as Class E Felony or worse. This means anyone convicted of the crime will spend at least six years in jail and pay a minimum of $3,000 fine.
Don't Neglect Your Rights
You will still be given fair trial in court if you are charged with forgery. Forgery is a serious crime so you should make immediate efforts to abate the situation by contacting a good lawyer. A Cobb County criminal defense lawyer from Webb & D'Orazio can help. Our Marietta criminal defense lawyers know the effect of this in your family so they will try their best to save you. There have been countless occasions where individuals who were charged with forgery in the city were vindicated after court proceedings. Cobb and Paulding county individuals know they can trust Webb & D'Orazio for an honest assessment and the best outcome possible.