Forgery Attorney in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has specific laws prohibiting forgery that impose penalties based on the type of document or instrument in question. A forgery charge means that a person is accused of committing one of the following acts with the intent to injure or commit fraud on another person:

• Change a document or a financial instrument without the necessary authority;

• Make or bring to completion any fabricated financial instrument or document;

• Present or use a forged item or document to pay for products or services or to exchange.

There is a wide variety of documents or instruments that this prohibition includes, such as deeds, wills, paper money, credit cards, seals, and identification cards. If the offense includes a government-issued instrument (e.g., paper money or securities), or a document that represents a property or business interest such as stock certificates or bonds, then the crime is a second-degree felony that has a potential punishment of up to ten years of incarceration and a $25,000 fine. However, if the offense involves forged deeds, contracts, wills, or other commercial documents, then the crime is a third-degree felony that has a prison sentence lasting up to seven years and up to a $15,000 fine.  The crimes are also considered crimes of falsehood that can seriously impact your ability to obtain or hold a job.  In addition, they can impact your ability to own or possess a firearm and vote.

The Peters Law Firm can provide you with criminal defense services for defending against forgery charges in the Northeastern Pennsylvania area. In the Scranton area, contact us, Tunkhannock and Wyoming County, or throughout Northeast Pennsylvania at our main office in Clarks Summit, or visit us. We can provide you with an initial consultation where we will take the time to listen to the facts and help you figure out what your next step should be.