Have you or a family member been charged, investigated, or arrested for Forgery in California? If so, you will need the assistance of an experienced
San Bernardino & Riverside criminal defense lawyer. A
forgery conviction can have serious consequences on your personal and professional life. Do not wait, call our experienced San Bernardino and Riverside
Forgery defense lawyer today for a FREE consultation.
California Penal Code 470 or Forgery is a "Wobbler", which means it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a Felony. Based on the fact that it can be charged as either it will be vitally important to get a experienced San Bernardino & Riverside Forgery defense lawyer on your side.
(a) Every person who, with the intent to defraud, knowing that
he or she has no authority to do so, signs the name of another
person or of a fictitious person to any of the items listed in
subdivision (d) is guilty of forgery.
(b) Every person who, with the intent to defraud, counterfeits or
forges the seal or handwriting of another is guilty of forgery.
(c) Every person who, with the intent to defraud, alters,
corrupts, or falsifies any record of any will, codicil, conveyance,
or other instrument, the record of which is by law evidence, or any
record of any judgment of a court or the return of any officer to any
process of any court, is guilty of forgery.
(d) Every person who, with the intent to defraud, falsely makes,
alters, forges, or counterfeits, utters, publishes, passes or
attempts or offers to pass, as true and genuine, any of the following
items, knowing the same to be false, altered, forged, or
counterfeited, is guilty of forgery: any check, bond, bank bill, or
note, cashier's check, traveler's check, money order, post note,
draft, any controller's warrant for the payment of money at the
treasury, county order or warrant, or request for the payment of
money, receipt for money or goods, bill of exchange, promissory note,
order, or any assignment of any bond, writing obligatory, or other
contract for money or other property, contract, due bill for payment
of money or property, receipt for money or property, passage ticket,
lottery ticket or share purporting to be issued under the California
State Lottery Act of 1984, trading stamp, power of attorney,
certificate of ownership or other document evidencing ownership of a
vehicle or undocumented vessel, or any certificate of any share,
right, or interest in the stock of any corporation or association, or
the delivery of goods or chattels of any kind, or for the delivery
of any instrument of writing, or acquittance, release or discharge of
any debt, account, suit, action, demand, or any other thing, real or
personal, or any transfer or assurance of money, certificate of
shares of stock, goods, chattels, or other property whatever, or any
letter of attorney, or other power to receive money, or to receive or
transfer certificates of shares of stock or annuities, or to let,
lease, dispose of, alien, or convey any goods, chattels, lands, or
tenements, or other estate, real or personal, or falsifies the
acknowledgment of any notary public, or any notary public who issues
an acknowledgment knowing it to be false; or any matter described in
subdivision (b).
(e) Upon a trial for forging any bill or note purporting to be the
bill or note of an incorporated company or bank, or for passing, or
attempting to pass, or having in possession with intent to pass, any
forged bill or note, it is not necessary to prove the incorporation
of the bank or company by the charter or act of incorporation, but it
may be proved by general reputation; and persons of skill are
competent witnesses to prove that the bill or note is forged or
counterfeited.