Monmouth County Forgery Lawyer

Individuals charged with forgery offenses face potential felony convictions, prison, and restitution payments if convicted. A seasoned Monmouth County forgery lawyer could inform you of what to expect at each step of the case, from pre-indictment investigation and arraignment through hearings, negotiations, and—if required—trial in criminal court.

With a criminal defense attorney’s knowledge and advice behind you, you could face your charges with confidence and the knowledge that you have a solid legal team on your side. Call today to learn more.

Forgery Law in Monmouth County

The crime of forgery is defined by New Jersey Statues §2C:21-1, which names three distinct scenarios that may qualify as forgery. In order to be convicted of such a crime, a person must have knowingly and intentionally undertaken one or more of the following actions:

Physically altered or otherwise made a change to anything someone else wrote without that person’s consent
Wrote or authenticated a written instrument in another person’s name without that person’s consent, or under a fictious name, or with any sort of fraudulent information
Used a fraudulent written instrument produced by either of the previous two means

Severity Levels of Forgery Crimes

The crime of forgery is classified as one of several different categories offenses, each with its own unique definition and associated punishments, depending on the manner in which the crime is committed. A Monmouth County forgery attorney could help someone accused of any one of these varieties of forgery take stock of their options and pursue a positive resolution to their case.

Forgery is considered a crime in the third degree in New Jersey if it involves alleged forgery of:

Money
Securities
Deeds
Bad Checks
Identification documents
Prescription forms

Since forgery of this degree is a felony, convictions carry a sentence of up to three to five years in prison and a fine. The mere possession of any forged item described above is also a felony.

Most other instances of forgery are fourth-degree crimes punishable by 18 months imprisonment. This includes possession of forged UPC or sales receipts. A disorderly person forgery is possession of a single forged sales receipt or other altered document and is punishable by up to six months custody.

Defense of Forgery Charges

The first line of defense to forgery charges is to examine the facts used by the police or prosecution to establish their case. For example, bad check charges—a common forgery offense—may be defended as an honest mistake or the result of a bank error rather than knowing criminal intent. Another common defense to a forgery charge is that the person charged with the crime was in fact authorized to create the check or other document, and therefore did not commit a criminal offense.

Some forgery cases are difficult for prosecutors to present and win in trial, and even experienced government attorneys and law enforcement personnel may have difficulties with the evidence and proof required to win a forgery conviction. An experienced forgery lawyer in Monmouth County could challenge each step in the proof process and try to garner concessions as a negotiating tactic prior to trial.

How a Monmouth County Forgery Attorney Could Help

An experienced Monmouth County forgery lawyer could be your best ally when it comes to pursuing a positive outcome in a forgery prosecution. If retained, your attorney could work closely with you to identify key evidence and develop negotiating tactics to strengthen your legal defense. Schedule an initial consultation today to see what could be possible in your case.