Forgery is a serious criminal offense in Illinois. While forgery is largely believed to be associated only with fake signatures, the crime actually covers a more extensive range of conduct.
If you are facing forgery charges in Illinois, it is in your best interest to have an experienced attorney representing you. At Glasgow & Olsson, our Chicago criminal defense lawyers have the background and expertise to give you the advantage. Attorney Glasgow is not just a defense attorney; he is a former Cook County State’s Attorney. He has prosecuted many cases, including those where individuals were accused of forgery. His credentials and insider knowledge of prosecution tactics allow him to offer the most effective criminal defense representation.
What is Forgery?
In Illinois, forgery is a crime that involves creating, altering, using, or possessing a false document with the intent to deceive or defraud another person or organization. The key element of a forgery crime is the intent to deceive or cheat for financial purposes. Under Illinois current forgery law, presenting a false document alone without evidence showing intent to cause financial loss or obtain financial gain is not sufficient to prove this key element of forgery.
Forgery can come in many forms, including:
- Signing another person’s name without their authorization
- Altering a check, contract deed, court document, or another legally significant document
- Creating a fake document that is made to look genuine
- Delivering or presenting a forged document while knowing it is false
- Possessing a forged document with the intent to use or distribute it
- Using another person’s digital signature or creating a fake electronic signature
What is a False Document
Since forgery is largely tied to “false documents”, understanding what this means is critical. False documents are broadly defined by Illinois law. As such, a false document may be any of the following:
- Contains materially false information
- Purports to have been made by someone else
- Claims to have been made at a different time
- Asserts authority that was never given
Penalties for Forgery in Illinois
Under the Illinois forgery statute, if you are convicted of committing forgery, you will suffer considerable consequences.
- Most forgery offenses are charged as a Class 3 felony.
- Forging a single UPC/barcode label is charged as a Class 4 felony.
- Forging an academic degree or coin is charged as a Class A misdemeanor.
As a result, a conviction can lead to several years in prison, expensive fines of up to $25,000, and possible probation, restitution, or other court-imposed conditions. The punishment will depend on the circumstances of your case and your criminal history.
How Do Prosecutors Prove Forgery?
It is important to note that not every false statement or mistake will be considered a forgery crime. In order for prosecutors to secure a conviction, they must prove:
- The document was false or altered in a material way.
- The defendant knew it was false.
- The defendant acted with the intent to defraud for financial gain or benefit.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
For more information on forgery charges, please speak with our Schaumburg criminal defense attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.
Our law firm is widely recognized as a leading authority in criminal law. For this reason, Attorney Thomas T. Glasgow is a trusted legal voice who is regularly invited to appear on major networks, including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your rights and freedoms are on the line, having an attorney on your side with an excellent reputation and unimpeachable experience matters.