Forgery is the criminal offense of making or uttering a false document or other instrument with the intent to defraud or harm someone—including a written or printed document, money, coins, tokens, stamps, checks, cashier’s checks, bonds, money orders, traveler’s checks, real property deeds, contracts, stock certificates, lottery tickets, wills, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification. Uttering a document means to declare—either directly or indirectly, and through words or actions—that the document is legitimate and what it purports to be.

Forging a document includes altering, making, completing, executing, or authenticating a writing so it purports (1) to be the act of another who did not authorize that act; (2) to have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case; or (3) to be a copy of an original when no such original existed.

Forging a document also includes the acts of issuing, transferring, registering the transfer of, recording, passing, publishing, or otherwise uttering a document that is forged. And in some states the mere possession of a forged document with the intent to utter it constitutes forging a document.

The definitions, penalties, and punishments for the crime of forgery vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Maryland, forgery is considered a serious criminal offense under the state's criminal law statutes. The act of forgery involves creating, altering, or using a false document with the intent to commit fraud or harm another individual. This can include a wide range of documents such as checks, contracts, legal certificates, and identification cards. Uttering a forged document refers to the act of presenting or using a forged document as if it were genuine. Maryland law also recognizes the possession of a forged document with the intent to use it as a form of forgery. The specific statutes that address forgery in Maryland can be found in the Maryland Criminal Law Code, and the penalties for forgery can vary depending on the severity of the offense, the value of the property involved, and other factors. Convictions for forgery can result in fines, imprisonment, or both. It is important for individuals accused of forgery to seek the advice of an attorney to understand the charges against them and to navigate the legal process.