(1) A person commits the offense of forgery in the first degree if, with intent to defraud, the person falsely makes, completes, endorses, or alters a written instrument, or utters a forged instrument, or fraudulently encodes the magnetic ink character recognition numbers, which is or purports to be, or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed:

Attorney's Note

Under the Hawaii Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class B felonyup to 10 yearsup to $25,000
For details, see Haw. Rev. Stat. § 706-660
criminal case

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 708-851

  • Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
(a) Part of an issue of stamps, securities, or other valuable instruments issued by a government or governmental agency;
(b) Part of an issue of stock, bonds, or other instruments representing interests in or claims against a corporate or other organization or its property; or
(c) All or part of a deed, will, codicil, contract, assignment, commercial instrument, or other instrument which does or may evidence, create, transfer, terminate, or otherwise affect a legal right, interest, obligation, or status and:

(i) The purported maker or drawer of the written instrument or forged instrument is a person who is sixty years of age or older; and
(ii) The age of the purported maker or drawer of the written instrument or forged instrument is known or reasonably should be known to the person who falsely makes, completes, endorses, or alters the instrument; utters the forged instrument; or fraudulently encodes the magnetic ink character recognition numbers of the instrument.
(2) Forgery in the first degree is a class B felony.

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