How is Forgery Defined?

Included below is the definition provided in the Idaho Code. In layman's terms though, a forgery is committed when a person, with the intent to defraud another, makes or alters a certain kind of document (listed in the statute). A person also can be charged with forgery if that person, with the intent to defraud another, utters, publishes, passes, or attempts to pass certain kinds of documents (listed in the statute).

What does the forgery statute specifically provide and what are the kinds of documents that are the subject matter to forgery charges?

Every person who, with intent to defraud another, falsely makes, alters, forges or counterfeits, any charter, letters, patent, deed, lease, indenture, writing obligatory, will, testament, codicil, annuity, bond, covenant, bank bill or note, federal reserve note, United States currency or United States money, post note, check, draft, bill of exchange, contract, promissory note, due bill for the payment of money or property, receipt for money or property, passage ticket, power of attorney, or any certificate of any share, right, or interest in the stock of any corporation or association, or any state controller's warrant for the payment of money at the treasury, county order or warrant, or request for the payment of money, or the delivery of goods or chattels of any kind, or for the delivery of any instrument of writing or acquittance, release, or receipt for money or goods, or any acquittance, release, or discharge for any debt, account, suit action demand, or other thing, real or personal, or any transfer or assurance of money, certificates of shares of stock, goods, chattels, or other property whatever, or any letter of attorney, or other power to receive money, or to receive or transfer certificates of shares of stock or annuities, or to let, lease, dispose of, alien, or convey any goods, chattels, lands or tenements, or other estate, real or personal, or any acceptance or endorsement of any bill of exchange, promissory note, draft, order, or assignment of any bond, writing obligatory, or promissory note for money or other property, or counterfeits or forges the seal or handwriting of another; or utters, publishes, passes, or attempts to pass, as true and genuine any of the above named false, altered, forged or counterfeited matters, as above specified and described, knowing the same to be false, altered, forged, or counterfeited, with intent to prejudice, damage, or defraud any person; or who, with intent to defraud, alters, corrupts or falsifies any record of any will, codicil, conveyance, or other instrument, the record of which is by law evidence, or any record of any judgment of a court, or the return of any officer to any process of any court, is guilty of forgery.

What is the punishment?

Forgery is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than one (1) and no more than fourteen (14) years. The maximum fine is $ 50,000 thousand dollars.