Maine Revised Statutes Title 17-A Sec. 703 – Forgery
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1. A person is guilty of forgery if, with the intent to defraud or deceive another person or government:
A. The person falsely makes, completes, endorses or alters a written instrument, or knowingly utters or possesses such an instrument. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; [PL 2001, c. 383, §75 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
A-1. The person violates paragraph A and:
(1) The face value of the written instrument or the aggregate value of the instruments is more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;
(2) The face value of the written instrument or the aggregate value of the instruments is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime; or
(3) At the time of the forgery, the person has 2 or more prior convictions for any combination of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph or for engaging in substantially similar conduct to that of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph in another jurisdiction. The Maine offenses are: theft; any violation of this section; any violation of section 401 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the structure is theft; any violation of section 405 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the motor vehicle is theft; any violation of section 651; any violation of section 702 or 708; or attempts to commit any of these crimes. Section 9?A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime; [PL 2007, c. 476, §26 (AMD).]
B. The person causes another, by deception, to sign or execute a written instrument, or utters such an instrument. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; or [PL 2001, c. 383, §75 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
B-1. The person violates paragraph B and:
(1) The face value of the written instrument or the aggregate value of the instruments is more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;
(2) The face value of the written instrument or the aggregate value of the instruments is more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime; or
(3) At the time of the forgery, the person has 2 or more prior convictions for any combination of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph or for engaging in substantially similar conduct to that of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph in another jurisdiction. The Maine offenses are: theft; any violation of this section; any violation of section 401 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the structure is theft; any violation of section 405 in which the crime intended to be committed inside the motor vehicle is theft; any violation of section 651; any violation of section 702 or 708; or attempts to commit any of these crimes. Section 9?A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class C crime. [PL 2007, c. 476, §27 (AMD).]
[PL 2007, c. 476, §§26, 27 (AMD).]
Attorney's Note
Under the Maine Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class B crime | up to 10 years | up to $20,000 |
| Class C crime | up to 5 years | up to $5,000 |
| Class D crime | up to 1 year | up to $2,000 |
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 17-A Sec. 703
- Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
2.
[PL 2001, c. 667, Pt. D, §13 (RP); PL 2001, c. 667, Pt. D, §36 (AFF).]
3. Amounts of value involved in forgeries may be aggregated in the same manner as provided in section 352, subsection 5, paragraph E. Prosecution of an aggregated forgery may be brought in any venue in which one of the aggregated forgeries was committed.
[PL 1989, c. 187, §3 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW). PL 1975, c. 740, §§77,78 (AMD). PL 1977, c. 510, §58 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 317, §21 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 187, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 224, §6 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §§75,76 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF). PL 2001, c. 389, §6 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 667, §§D13,14 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 667, §D36 (AFF). PL 2007, c. 476, §§26, 27 (AMD).