Section 1. Whoever, with intent to injure or defraud, falsely makes, alters, forges or counterfeits a public record, or a certificate, return or attestation of a clerk or register of a court, public register, notary public, justice of the peace, town clerk or any other public officer, in relation to a matter wherein such certificate, return or attestation may be received as legal proof; or a charter, deed, will, testament, bond or writing obligatory, power of attorney, policy of insurance, bill of lading, bill of exchange or promissory note; or an order, acquittance or discharge for money or other property or a credit card or an instrument described as a United States Dollar Traveller's Check or Cheque, purchased from a bank or other financially responsible institution, the purpose of which is a source of ready money on cashing the instrument without identification other than the signature of the purchaser; or an acceptance of a bill of exchange, or an endorsement or assignment of a bill of exchange or promissory note for the payment of money; or an accountable receipt for money, goods or other property; or a stock certificate, or any evidence or muniment of title to property; or a certificate of title, duplicate certificate of title, certificate issued in place of a duplicate certificate, the registration book, entry book, or any indexes provided for by chapter one hundred and eighty-five, or the docket of the recorder; shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years or in jail for not more than two years.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part IV - Crimes, Punishments and Proceedings in Criminal Cases
Title I - Crimes and Punishments
Chapter 267 - Forgery and Crimes Against the Currency
Section 1 - False or Forged Records, Certificates, Returns, Attestations and Other Writings
Section 2 - Railroad or Admission Tickets, Passes or Badges
Section 3 - Seal of Land Court; Stamping Documents Without Authority
Section 4 - Railroad Company Stamp; Forging or Using Without Authority
Section 5 - Uttering False or Forged Records, Deeds or Other Writings
Section 6 - Uttering a Forged Railroad or Admission Ticket, Pass or Badge
Section 8 - False, Forged or Counterfeited Bank Bill, Note or Traveller's Check
Section 9 - Possession of Ten or More of False, Forged or Counterfeited Notes or Bills
Section 11 - Common Utterers of Counterfeit Bills
Section 12 - Possession of False, Forged or Counterfeit Bills, Notes or Traveller's Checks
Section 14 - Evidence Relative to Forged or Counterfeited Bank or Institution Bills or Notes
Section 16 - Fictitious Signatures of Corporate Officers or Agents
Section 17 - Counterfeiting Coin; Possession of Ten or More Pieces of False Money
Section 19 - Common Utterers of Counterfeit Coin
Section 20 - Tools for Making Counterfeit Coin
Section 21 - Notes, Bills, Orders or Checks as Currency
Section 22 - Notes, Bills, Orders or Checks for Less Than Five Dollars, as Currency
Section 23 - Bank Notes or Bills for a Fraction of a Dollar
Section 24 - Connecting Parts of Instruments
Section 25 - Damaging or Impairing Bank Bills or Notes
Section 26 - Gathering or Retaining Bank Bills or Notes
Section 27 - Possession of Worthless Bank Bills or Notes
Section 28 - Uttering, Passing or Tendering Worthless Bank Bills or Notes