Which action qualifies as forgery in the first degree?

Forgery in the first degree involves the intent to defraud through the use of a fraudulent representation. The action of presenting a fraudulent item and knowingly trying to pass it captures this intent perfectly; it reflects an active participation in deception with the aim of benefiting from the unlawful act.

In this scenario, the individual not only possesses the fraudulent item but also takes the step to present it as if it were legitimate, which signifies a clear intention to deceive another party for personal gain. This distinguishes it from other types of forgery that may focus more on the act of creation or alteration without the explicit act of attempting to defraud someone at that moment.

While signing someone else's name without consent, altering legal documents, and creating a counterfeit item are significant actions, they do not inherently include the aspect of passing the item, which is crucial for qualifying as forgery in the first degree since that step includes a direct interaction with the property or a party that involves the intent to deceive and benefit from it.