Forgery and counterfeiting charges in Rhode Island
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Under Rhode Island criminal law, Forgery and Counterfeiting may be found under Rhode Island General Laws, Title 11 Chapter 17.
The offense of Forgery and Counterfeiting can be committed in several different ways. In general, the law makes it unlawful for a person to falsely make, procure to be falsely made, utter, or procure to be uttered, a false, altered, forged, or counterfeited document with the intent to defraud.
This offense includes several types of documents such as any public record, writ, process, or proceeding in any court, any certificate or attestation of any judge, justice of the peace, warden, notary public, clerk of any court, town clerk, city clerk or other public officer, in any matter in which the certificate or attestation may be received as legal proof, charter, deed, will, testament, bond, or writing obligatory, letter of attorney, policy of insurance, bill of exchange, bill of lading, railroad ticket, promissory note, order, acquittance, lottery ticket, or any debt, contract, or promise.
A full list of the documents may be found at Rhode Island General Laws, Section 11-17-1.
Legal elements of forgery and counterfeiting
In order to be convicted of Forgery and Counterfeiting, there must exist strong evidence of the following legal elements:
- (1) that the defendant falsely made or procured to be made, altered, forged, or counterfeited, or uttered and published or procured to be uttered and published as true;
- (2) the document in question; and
- (3) and did so with the intent to defraud.
Potential punishment if convicted of forgery and counterfeiting
Under Rhode Island law, a conviction for Forgery and Counterfeiting is a felony for which convicted offenders shall be imprisoned for not more than 10 years. This penalty may be found at Rhode Island General Laws, Section 11-17-1.
Contact forgery and counterfeiting defense lawyer John L. Calcagni, III
If you have been charged with Forgery and Counterfeiting call Rhode Island White Collar Defense Lawyers at the Law Office of John L. Calcagni, III today at (401) 351-5100 to schedule a free consultation.
