(A) It is unlawful for a person to:

(1) falsely make, forge, or counterfeit; cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited; or wilfully act or assist in the false making, forging, or counterfeiting of any writing or instrument of writing;

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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 16-13-10

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • 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.

(2) utter or publish as true any false, forged, or counterfeited writing or instrument of writing;

(3) falsely make, forge, counterfeit, alter, change, deface, or erase; or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, counterfeited, altered, changed, defaced, or erased any record or plat of land; or

(4) willingly act or assist in any of the premises, with an intention to defraud any person.

(B) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a:

(1) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, if the amount of the forgery is ten thousand dollars or more;

(2) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, if the amount of the forgery is less than ten thousand dollars.

(C) If the forgery does not involve a dollar amount, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor under the jurisdiction of the magistrates or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.