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 Rhode Island, forgery is defined under Rhode Island General Laws Section 11-17-1 as the act of falsely making, altering, forging, or counterfeiting certain documents with the intent to defraud. This includes, but is not limited to, legal contracts, public records, certificates, tokens, public seals, and other items of value. The law also covers the act of uttering, which involves offering a forged document as genuine. Rhode Island considers forgery a felony, and the penalties upon conviction can include imprisonment, fines, or both. The specific punishment depends on the nature of the forged document and the circumstances of the crime. For instance, forging certain financial instruments may lead to more severe penalties. Additionally, mere possession of a forged document with the intent to defraud can also be prosecuted under Rhode Island law. It is important for individuals accused of forgery to consult with an attorney who can provide legal advice tailored to the specifics of their case.