Orlando Forgery Defense Lawyer

Florida considers a number of activities “forgery” under the law and defines it as when a person falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any written instrument with the intent to injure or defraud someone else. Specifically, the law prohibits the forging of any public record, certificate, return, or attestation of a clerk of the court, public register, notary republic, or public officer if used as proof in a legal matter, any charters, will, deed, testament, bond, insurance policy, power of attorney, promissory note, order or discharge of money or property, receipt for money, goods, or other property, passage ticket, pass on public transit, and more. In addition to creating forged instruments, the use of any forged documents, known as “uttering,” is also against the law.

Under the law, Florida considers most acts of forgery as felonies in the third degree, including the creation and utterance of forged documents. The penalties for forgery include up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and up to $5,000 in fines for each offense. Contacting an experienced criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between your freedom and years in prison for a forgery offense.