Check Fraud Lawyer in Long Beach

Being Convicted on Check Fraud Charges

Check fraud is a broad term that can apply to many types of theft offenses.  If someone intends to defraud an individual by knowingly signing another's name or a made-up name on a check, that is check fraud.  It can also be giving someone a false check or intentionally passing a bad check.  Any sort offorged check that is given to a bank or other financial institution constitutes check fraud.  An experienced Long Beach criminal defense attorney can help explain the charges you face, what the defense against these charges may be and what penalties can be imposed.

Attorney Leonard Matsuk understands that being convicted of check fraud can adversely affect your life in many ways.  For a juvenile, it can be a serious obstacle to overcome when trying to be admitted to a college.  It can affect your current employment and future job opportunities.  In California, check fraud can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony.  How a person is charged depends on any prior criminal convictions and the specifics of the present case.  Jail or prison time, fines, probation, community service and a permanent criminal record can all be results of a conviction.

Defense Actions on Your Behalf

The prosecution in a check fraud case must prove that an individual did, in fact, have the intention to defraud another.  This intention is not always easy to prove and this may be a key to your defense. Defenses for check fraud can include items such as:  the payment was stopped on a bad check before an insufficient funds notice was received, the issuer of the check was not in a proper state of mind to write a legal check, that the fraudulent activity was actually carried out by another, or the person who issued the check didn't know that it would not be honored. 

California provides a bad check diversion program that can be attended instead of serving time in jail.  With successful completion of this program, you do not have to have a prior conviction showing up on your criminal record.  Sometimes a felony charge can be negotiated down to a misdemeanor, thus reducing the penalties a person may face.  Jail or prison time may also be negotiated down to probation and community service.

If you are accused of check fraud of any sort, contact a Check Fraud Lawyer in Long Beach for swift and effective legal service.