Montana § 45-6-325 - Forgery

§ 45-6-325. Forgery

Forgery. (1) A person commits the offense of forgery when, with purpose to defraud, the person knowingly: (a) without authority makes or alters a document or other object apparently capable of being used to defraud another in a manner that it purports to have been made by another or at another time or with different provisions or of different composition; (b) issues or delivers the document or other object knowing it to have been thus made or altered; (c) possesses with the purpose of issuing or delivering any such document or other object knowing it to have been thus made or altered; or (d) possesses with knowledge of its character any plate, die, or other device, apparatus, equipment, or article specifically designed for use in counterfeiting or otherwise forging written instruments. (2) A purpose to defraud means the purpose of causing another to assume, create, transfer, alter, or terminate any right, obligation, or power with reference to any person or property. (3) A document or other object capable of being used to defraud another includes but is not limited to one by which any right, obligation, or power with reference to any person or property may be created, transferred, altered, or terminated. (4) A person convicted of the offense of forgery shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both. If the forgery is part of a common scheme or if the value of the property, labor, or services obtained or attempted to be obtained exceeds $1,500, the offender shall be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 20 years, or both.