Minnesota Statutes 609.63 – Forgery
Subdivision 1.Crime defined; intent to defraud.
Whoever, with intent to injure or defraud, does any of the following is guilty of forgery and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both:
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 609.63
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- 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
- Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(1) uses a false writing, knowing it to be false, for the purpose of identification or recommendation; or
(2) without consent, places, or possesses with intent to place, upon any merchandise an identifying label or stamp which is or purports to be that of another craftsperson, tradesperson, packer, or manufacturer, or disposes or possesses with intent to dispose of any merchandise so labeled or stamped; or
(3) falsely makes or alters a membership card purporting to be that of a fraternal, business, professional, or other association, or of any labor union, or possesses any such card knowing it to have been thus falsely made or altered; or
(4) falsely makes or alters a writing, or possesses a falsely made or altered writing, evidencing a right to transportation on a common carrier; or
(5) destroys, mutilates, or by alteration, false entry or omission, falsifies any record, account, or other document relating to a private business; or
(6) without authority of law, destroys, mutilates, or by alteration, false entry, or omission, falsifies any record, account, or other document relating to a person, corporation, or business, or filed in the office of, or deposited with, any public office or officer; or
(7) destroys a writing or object to prevent it from being produced at a trial, hearing, or other proceeding authorized by law.
Subd. 2.Crime defined; forged document at trial.
Whoever, with knowledge that it is forged, offers in evidence in any trial, hearing or other proceedings authorized by law, as genuine, any forged writing or object may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if the writing or object is offered in evidence in the trial of a felony charge, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both; or
(2) in all other cases, to imprisonment for not more than three years or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.