Forgery Lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona
Under the law in Arizona, the criminal act of Forgery is a class 4 felony which can be punished by up to 3.75 years in prison. Although most forgery cases involve allegations that the defendant endorsed or presented a counterfeit or stolen check, the law permits the prosecution to file that charge even when no money or checks are involved. All forgery charges in Phoenix carry potentially stiff consequences and you should have an aggressive Phoenix Forgery Attorney on your side.
Under Arizona law, a person commits forgery if they do any of the following with the intent to defraud:
- Falsely manufactures, transforms or changes any paper, document, check or other instrument; or
- Has in their possession a written instrument that has been falsely altered, made or completed; or
- Presents or offers a document that has either been forged or contains information that is false.
Forgery Defense Attorney in Phoenix
Check forgery usually involves endorsing or presenting a forged check to a bank or check cashing institution. With the prevalence of computers in today's society, many of these forged checks are completely fictitious and were created without the accountholders knowledge. Other Phoenix check forgery cases involve legitimate checks that were either stolen or altered. Regardless of the nature of your Phoenix check forgery case, you should have an skilled Phoenix Forgery Lawyer like Joshua S. Davidson who has handled a wide variety of cases involving checks, credit cards, traveler's checks and other forged instruments.
Many Phoenix forgery cases have nothing to do with checks or money. Because the forgery law is written so broadly, it permits the prosecution to file forgery charges when a person signs a false name after being arrested or uses an assumed identity in order to obtain legitimate employment. Even though many of these non-financial forgery cases are victimless, the county attorney's office aggressively prosecutes them and may seek a term of incarceration. Phoenix Forgery Attorney Joshua S. Davidson has represented many clients charged with these types of offenses and will provide you with the best possible defense.
A Phoenix forgery conviction can have a drastic effect on your future. Potential employers usually obtain a criminal history for any new potential hires. A forgery conviction could potentially jeopardize your position with a company. Not to mention that you could also be facing prison, jail, probation, fines and restitution as well. Phoenix forgery attorney Joshua S. Davidson is committed to providing his clients with the best defense available.
If you have been charged with a forgery in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe or Glendale, contact forgery lawyer Joshua S. Davidson today for your free and confidential initial consultation.