State v. Colby

This is an appeal from a jury verdict finding defendant guilty of uttering a forged instrument in violation of 13 V.S.A. § 1802.

The State provided evidence indicating that defendant cashed a welfare check at a Burlington bank which was made out to, and bore the forged signature of, a close friend of defendant’s. Defendant represented himself to be the legitimate holder of the check, providing identification belonging to his friend. Defendant presented no evidence at trial.

At the bank involved, a teller routinely stamps the teller identification number on the back of a check and runs the check…