If you’ve been charged with forgery then you’re likely not sure what the next move should be. At Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell we’re here to assure you that the next step is rather simple: Contact a California forgery attorney who can help you. That attorney is Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell. Call us today at 909-920-0908 to learn more about requesting a free consultation.
What is forgery?
According to the law, forgery is defined as knowingly signing someone else’s signature or otherwise duplicating their handwriting in order to commit fraud. For example, if you falsify a document that’s related to either money or property with the intent to commit fraud, then that may legally be forgery. Common examples of forgery include:
- Signing a stolen check.
- Adding pages to a will.
- Writing fake prescriptions.
Note that in order for a conviction of forgery, it must be prove that the defendant intended to defraud someone. Simply faking a signature is not fraud in and of itself. That’s why you can sign your friend’s name on their credit card, as long as they’ve said you could. This is not the same thing as stealing a credit card and signing for it with the intent of defrauding someone.
A forgery conviction can come with significant consequences
It’s important that you take this charge seriously and work with a criminal defense attorney. Depending on the specifics of your case, it may be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. If you’re convicted of a felony, then the maximum sentence is a year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines. Compare that to a felony conviction, which comes with up to three years in prison and as much as $10,000 in fines. Either charge may come with probation and restitution requirements.
There are defense options for your charge
The best way to defend you will vary based on a number of factors, but in most cases we’ll work to find a handwriting expert or any other expert witnesses who can testify that you didn’t forge the documents. If you did forge them, then we can work to prove that you didn’t have intent to commit fraud. In many cases, this is successful because it’s not illegal to sign someone’s name unless you mean to defraud them.
If you did forge a document and did have the intent to defraud someone and there is a wealth of information to show that, then we may work to have the charges reduced. As you can see above, a misdemeanor charge comes with a much easier penalty to live with.
Contact us today to let us get started on your defense
Are you ready to find out what your options are? Do you want to move forward with your life? Then it’s time to reach out to Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell. We are here to offer you a free consultation. We know that this is a difficult time and that you need an attorney you can trust. Call us at 909-920-0908 and we’ll help you find the best way forward.
