As with any serious crime, you need to understand what to do if you have been accused of forgery. A Brooklyn forgery defense attorney will help you to figure out what you should do next after being accused or after you are under investigation for forgery. Traditionally, forgery refers to the act of falsifying any item of writing with the intent to deceive another entity or individual. Typically, this is a state level crime and not a federal level offense.
Not every forgery case will carry serious stakes, but all should be brought to your attorney’s office for further consultation. Until you know exactly what you’re being accused of and how to protect yourself from life-changing conviction consequences, you might assume it’s best to ignore the charges or to manage the criminal defense on your own. While you’re within your constitutional rights to represent yourself, this could be a big mistake if you’re not familiar with your rights.
Since forgery cases are usually started with a thorough investigation, you might feel as though you’re quite behind the prosecution by the time you’ve been formally charged. For that reason and to ensure that your future is protected, make that phone call to a lawyer the first chance you get. You may not be able to avoid other problems in your case if you can’t retain an attorney you trust to help you with your legal claim. Someone who has experience fighting off these charges for other clients is a must-have in a lawyer.
Only the most severe of forgery cases are brought forward by federal prosecutors and these are punished aggressively. A Brooklyn forgery defense attorney is a necessary asset to have as you defend against allegations of forgery. There are no general felony forgery statues outlined in the United States Code, however, there are a number of different laws that could be used to punish such conduct. The forging of any power of attorney, deed or contract, for example, to defraud the United States may involve forgery allegations. A forgery defense lawyer in Brooklyn will be able to tell you more about what the government intends to prove if you are already under investigation for forgery. Criminal charges that could be associated with forgery, depend on the severity of the act in question. You could be facing forgery in the fourth degree which in New York is a Class A misdemeanor. However, the circumstances of a situation could elevate it to forgery in the first degree or a C level felony allegation. Corresponding to the level of severity in the case, your punishments can be severe regardless if you are convicted. Examples of forgery can include, forging deeds, checks and credit card applications. But they include not only situations in which a person actually creates a forged instrument but also the possession of a forged instrument. Both individuals who participate in a scheme like this could be charged with a felony level crime. For example, creation of government ID or altering a driver's license could lead to felony charges. Even forging a handicapped parking permit could lead to allegations of forgery. Forgery also encompasses illegal possession of another person's vehicle identification numbers or creation of forged VINs. A criminal defense attorney can tell you that these crimes are often pursued aggressively by the office of any district attorney in New York. One of the primary reasons for this is that forgery is a common charge for organized crime such as a chop shop that steals and then resells vehicle parts and cars. Since these kinds of investigations can go a long way towards minimizing organized crime, the district attorneys often do everything in their power to fair it out forgery. If you have been accused of forgery of a vehicle identification number, possession of a forged instrument, criminal possession of an anti-security device, possession of forgery devices or criminal simulation and any other related forgery crime, it is in your best interests to retain an attorney who has a track record of successfully representing people in these kinds of serious and life changing allegations. Consequences may apply if you do not take action quickly to retain a lawyer you can trust.