Forgery (3rd Degree) involves forging which kind of document?

• A. a deed or will
• B. a government instrument
• C. a check, draft, note, or other commercial instrument
• D. a public record

Answer: (C)

Forgery in this context targets documents used in everyday commerce. The essence of the third-degree offense is the forging of commercial or negotiable instruments—things like checks, drafts, notes, and other instruments that circulate in commerce and can be used to obtain money. These documents have immediate monetary value and are common targets for fraud, which is why they fit squarely under the third-degree category.

Deeds or wills, government instruments, and public records are typically treated as separate offenses or higher classifications because they involve real property transfers, official actions, or public records, not the general category of negotiable instruments. So the best fit for third-degree forgery is forging a check, draft, note, or other commercial instrument.