Maryland Check Fraud Lawyer
Fraud has several sub-classifications. Check fraud is one element of a fraud charge in Maryland. It is important to keep in mind that these types of crimes are proven by way of documents. It is a very paper-driven type of case. An experienced attorney is going to know if the state has all of the necessary evidence and all of the necessary paperwork to prove a check fraud case. There are also rules of procedure and rules of evidence that come into play anytime the state wants to introduce a piece of evidence against the defendant.
If there are any important documents, the person should keep a paper trail to give to their attorney. All evidence in your favor could help your fraud attorney build a strong defense case. If you are facing check fraud, it can be a complicated case, and you will want to hire a reliable Maryland check fraud lawyer.
What is Check Fraud?
As defined by Maryland law, check fraud can encompass a multitude of sections of the criminal law. The first one that a lot of people think of is when someone passes a bad check. They know that there is no money in their checking account to cover the check. Regardless of that knowledge, they use the check and obtain property or services with the bad check.
That would be perpetuating a fraud on the owner of the property, the person that provided the property, and the services. There is also an entirely separate portion of the law that protects people whose checks have been taken from them or are being used without their permission. Sometimes an individual’s checks have been taken and their name is being forged on a check or they have written a valid check that has been altered so that the check was intended for is not valid.
There is a multitude of ways that someone could be perpetuating a fraud utilizing a check. What does not happen very often, although it is becoming more of an issue, is the counterfeiting of a check. It can be done, but similar to the fact that money can be counterfeited, paper money can be counterfeited, as well.
Important Documentation to Have for an Attorney
There is important information a person charged with check fraud should have ready when they are speaking with a Maryland check fraud lawyer for the first time. If they have any documentation that has been provided to them, they should have that ready for the attorney to look at. A lot of times when there is an allegation of check fraud, there is some sort of relationship between the check holder and the defendant. It is important to know the background of this person.
Many times it is people who were taking care of an older relative or a vulnerable person. They thought that because they were given permission, they could access the person’s accounts or use the checks that were in the checkbook. The reality of the situation is, by doing that they make themselves vulnerable because they had not been given the appropriate power of attorney to exercise that kind of authority.
If the alleged victim turns around and claims that the person stole their checks or forged their name that person is in a vulnerable position. They do not have any document like a power of attorney to use for their defense and have proof they were given permission to do this transaction. That is where a lot of problems come up. It is important for an attorney to know right away who is this person, how does the person know them, if they do know them, and what is the person’s connection to the person making these allegations.
Hiring a Lawyer
As soon as someone suspects they are being investigated for check fraud or have been charged with the fraud offense, they should contact an experienced Maryland check fraud lawyer. It is important to make sure that they are being assisted by an attorney who understands the rules of procedure and the rules of evidence. Also, it is important that they are protecting them particularly if the state should attempt to introduce evidence that maybe was not certified properly or was not disclosed to the defendant within the time frames that are mandated.
A reliable attorney has the resources and experience to negotiate on their potential client’s behalf. If you are facing criminal charges for check fraud, it is essential that you speak with a skilled criminal attorney. Your attorney can investigate and challenge the prosecutor’s evidence. It is important to start building a defense case as soon as possible and hire an attorney at an early stage of the case.