HOUSE BILL No. 5534

December 6, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Tobocman, Alma Smith, Hopgood, Coulouris, Mayes, Meadows, Gonzales, Robert Jones, Scott, Griffin, Bieda and Dean and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled

 

"The Michigan penal code,"

 

by amending sections 248 and 249 (MCL 750.248 and 750.249), section

 

248 as amended by 1991 PA 145.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 248. (1) Any A person who shall falsely make, alter,

 

forge, or counterfeit any makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits a

 

public record, or any a certificate, return, or attestation of any

 

a clerk of a court, public register of deeds, notary public,

 

township clerk, or any other public officer, in relation to any a

 

matter wherein such in which the certificate, return, or

 

attestation may be received as legal proof, or any a charter, deed,

 

will, testament, bond, writing obligatory, letter of attorney,


 

policy of insurance, bill of lading, bill of exchange, promissory

 

note, or any an order, acquittance of discharge for money or other

 

property, or any a waiver, release, claim or demand, or any an

 

acceptance of a bill of exchange, or indorsement, or assignment of

 

a bill of exchange or promissory note for the payment of money, or

 

any an accountable receipt for money, goods, or other property ,

 

with intent to injure or defraud any another person , shall be is

 

guilty of a felony , punishable by imprisonment for not more than

 

14 years.

 

     (2) This section does not apply to a scrivener's error.

 

     (3) (2) The venue in a prosecution under this section may be

 

either in the county in which the forgery was performed , or in a

 

county in which any a false, forged, altered, or counterfeit

 

record, deed, instrument, or other writing is uttered and published

 

with intent to injure or defraud.

 

     (4) If in the proceedings resulting in a conviction under this

 

section, or for any lesser included offense, it is determined that

 

the person made, altered, forged, or counterfeited a deed, the

 

court shall cause an order indicating that the deed is invalid and

 

a copy of the invalid deed to be recorded in the office of the

 

register of deeds of any county where the lands or real estate that

 

is the subject of the invalid deed is located as provided in

 

section 2935 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236,

 

MCL 600.2935. Any recording fees incurred under this subsection

 

shall be paid as ordered by the court.

 

     Sec. 249. (1) Uttering and publishing forged instruments--Any

 

A person who shall utter and publish utters and publishes as true ,


 

any a false, forged, altered, or counterfeit record, deed,

 

instrument, or other writing mentioned in the preceding section,

 

listed in section 248 knowing the same it to be false, altered,

 

forged, or counterfeit , with intent to injure or defraud as

 

aforesaid , shall be is guilty of a felony , punishable by

 

imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 14 years.

 

     (2) This section does not apply to a scrivener's error.

 

     (3) If in the proceedings resulting in a conviction under this

 

section, or for any lesser included offense, it is determined that

 

the person uttered and published as true a false, forged, altered,

 

or counterfeit deed, the court shall cause both an order indicating

 

that the deed is invalid and a copy of the invalid deed to be

 

recorded in the office of the register of deeds of any county where

 

the lands or real estate that is the subject of the invalid deed is

 

located as provided in section 2935 of the revised judicature act

 

of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.2935.