March 26, 2015 Divorce is a painful experience, especially for a person who does not wish to divorce his or her partner. All states require a signature from both spouses for a judge to approve the dissolution of a marriage. Unfortunately, some people take it upon themselves to finalize a divorce by forging the other spouse’s signature. An unsuspecting judge may grant a divorce because of such forgery. Once the judge grants an unauthorized divorce, the injured spouse will have to take action to fix the problem. Legal assistance would be necessary to resolve such a mess. The Crime of Forgery In most states, the crime of forgery is a felony crime. A spouse who obtains a divorce through forgery is committing a serious crime that has stiff penalties. The person is essentially falsifying a document with the intent to defraud a legal institution. Forging divorce papers is not something that the guilty party can easily defend with a plea of innocence or ignorance, because the crime is extremely blatant. The intention of the forging spouse is to make the courts believe that the other spouse agreed to dissolve the marriage. Many states would consider such a crime as a felony-grade crime. Penalty for Forgery The penalty for forgery varies in every state. Some states assign up to five years in prison and fines of up to $125,000. Other states may have a lesser fine such as a $10,000 fine attached to a forgery crime. Some states will charge such a crime as a misdemeanor, which could still result in jail time of up to one year. Anyone who is charged with forgery will want to visit an attorney for protection and counsel. An experienced attorney can help the person to come up with a defense strategy or restitution plan. The Nahajski Firm is a reputable law firm in the Bellevue, Washington area that has been servicing residents since 1996. The attorneys at the firm have been protecting residents for more than 40 years. Their main goal is to provide their clients with reliable protection. Rayne Nelson is a member of several Bar Associations, and her partner has won awards for a variety of acts of professionalism. Together the two attorneys form a prominent Washington firm with a strong reputation of success and dedication. An interested person can contact someone to schedule an appointment at 206-621-0500 or online today.