§701. Definitions
1.
A person "falsely alters" a written instrument when, without the authority of anyone entitled to grant it, that person changes a written instrument, whether it be in complete or incomplete form, by means of erasure, obliteration, deletion, insertion of new matter or transposition of matter or in any other manner, so that the instrument in its thus altered form appears or purports to be in all respects an authentic creation of, or fully authorized by, its ostensible holder, author, maker or drawer;
[RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. F, §41 (COR).]
2.
A person "falsely completes" a written instrument when, by adding, inserting or changing matter, that person transforms an incomplete written instrument into a complete one, without the authority of anyone entitled to grant it, so that the complete instrument appears or purports to be in all respects an authentic creation of, or fully authorized by, its ostensible author, maker or drawer;
[RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. F, §42 (COR).]
3.
A person "falsely makes" a written instrument when that person makes or draws a complete written instrument in its entirety, or an incomplete written instrument, that purports to be an authentic creation of its ostensible author, maker or drawer, but that is not such, either because the ostensible maker or drawer is fictitious or because, if real, the ostensible maker or drawer did not authorize the making or drawing of the written instrument;
[RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. F, §43 (COR).]
4.
"Written instrument" includes any token, coin, stamp, seal, badge, trademark, credit card, absentee ballot application, absentee ballot envelope, medical drug prescription form, other evidence or symbol of value, right, privilege or identification, and any paper, document or other written instrument containing written or printed matter or its equivalent;
[PL 2001, c. 419, §1 (AMD).]
5.
"Complete written instrument" means a written instrument which purports to be a genuine written instrument fully drawn with respect to every essential feature thereof; and
[PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW).]
6.
"Incomplete written instrument" means a written instrument which contains some matter by way of content or authentication but which requires additional matter in order to render it a complete written instrument.
[PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW). PL 1975, c. 740, §75 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 436, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 419, §1 (AMD). RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. F, §§41-43 (COR).