What Is the Penalty for Falsifying Court Documents

In addition, there would be a valid defence of factual error for someone who accidentally submitted what they thought was a valid document, but was in fact a forgery. Without intent to deceive, there would be no criminal offence. Falsification of documents generally relates to a criminal offence. This offence includes: When determining the consequences of a conviction, the court typically considers several different factors, including: Texas imposes stiff penalties for forged convictions. The severity depends on what the fake was. In cases where you are charged with the crime because you are in possession of forged documents, you must prove that you did not falsify the documents. In addition, you must prove that you did not know that the documents in question were forged. An example of this would be if you had received the deed of a seized property that you legally purchased. It is doubtful that you will be charged with a crime in such circumstances, unless you are part of this real estate scam plan. Filing a forged document is a serious crime that requires the skills and expertise of a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who has extensive experience defending complex white-collar criminal cases. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Michael Kraut is a former assistant district attorney with more than 14 years of prosecution experience who has handled complicated white-collar criminal cases as a prosecutor and defense attorney.

Mr. Kraut enjoys an excellent reputation throughout the court system for his legal knowledge and skills as a litigator. If you or a loved one is under investigation or accused of filing a false or falsified document, contact Mr. Kraut immediately. As mentioned earlier, the crime of falsifying a document is classified as an economic crime and is a form of fraud. As a rule, you will be charged with forgery if it can be proven that you wanted to falsify the documents. For example, when a person is accused of tax evasion; or the person acted intentionally to defraud the IRS. The law does not only apply to controls. For example, Sam could sell a baseball card and forge a certificate of authenticity. He then uses the certificate to convince a buyer to pay him $300 for the baseball card.

Once again, Sam is guilty of forgery. If a person or entity fails to comply with a final injunction under this section against the person or entity, the Attorney General shall bring an action for enforcement of the order in a court of competent United States District Court. Such an action does not examine the validity and relevance of the final order. A key element of the law is the intent to use falsified documents with the intent to harm someone. For example, Sam could forge a cheque in his father`s name and try to cash it in a bank. Because he uses the forged document, Sam is guilty of breaking the law. However, if Sam only found a fake check and had it in his wallet, he is not guilty because he did not create it and did not intend to use the check. Someone who falsifies shares, stamps, money, or government documents could be charged with a third-degree felony, with possible penalties: If a person falsifies stamps, money, government documents (such as birth certificates or driver`s licenses), or shares, they can be convicted of a third-degree felony. The sentence includes: While CP 115 refers to forged documents, this law includes false statements/witness statements. If you have been accused of falsifying documents, you will immediately need a defense lawyer in your corner. A defense attorney can help you start building your defense by analyzing state evidence and identifying gaps in the case. Your lawyer may also collect evidence showing that you have not committed a forgery.

Note that this criminal law applies to a wide variety of documents, from fishing records to payment statements. Nevertheless, the courts have ruled that the law is not too vague.2 It is important that you make sure you keep clear records of your losses, especially if you believe you are entitled to a refund. You should also talk to a personal injury lawyer if you plan to take legal action in civil court. The term “document” has been interpreted broadly by courts and prosecutors. The law is most often used to prosecute the filing of false property titles related to real estate fraud programs. However, filing a false document can include almost any document that can be legally filed in a public office, including bail guarantees, probation work recommendations, and even fishing records. The state in which you live, as well as the specific facts of your case, may affect the likelihood that you will be charged with a crime of falsifying documents. A conviction for a felony usually results in a substantial fine and a prison sentence of at least one year. Second-degree forgery provides an increased penalty for forgery involving written documents such as deeds, wills, contracts, credit cards, checks, prescriptions, public documents or other documents issued by a public office. PL 170.10.

In addition, a conviction could determine whether you will be hired or fired. It can also affect whether you get a loan and at what interest rate. A landlord may decide not to rent you an apartment based on your conviction. If you are accused of falsifying documents, it is imperative not to exacerbate the problem by further falsifying the information you provide about your crimes. People rely on documents every day to renew their driver`s licences, apply for benefits and apply to the government for help. The company depends on the authenticity of these documents. For this reason, Texas has criminalized the falsification of documents, and the penalties can be severe. If you`ve been charged with falsifying documents, you`ll need a Collin County criminal defense attorney who can build a vigorous defense on your behalf. In addition, many violations of these laws involve the filing of documents related to real property (e.g. Deeds of Renunciation, Title Deeds and Trust Deeds).3 In these cases, and depending on the nature of the document in question, charges may be laid against: Each of these defences requires evidence.

Cases of falsification often affect your mental state, so you may need to present evidence in your own defense of what you were thinking when you filled out or found a document. If you are convicted of a crime such as falsifying documents, there are often penalties that are not legal in nature. An example of this would be how a conviction stays on your criminal record. Any party legally authorized to examine your criminal record, such as law enforcement, can learn about the conviction.