What constitutes forgery?

Forged documents involve the creation of a false writing with the specific intent to deceive or defraud another party. This definition captures the essence of forgery, which centers around the act of producing a false document or altering a real document to mislead others for personal gain. In this case, the emphasis on both the act of creating or altering a writing and the intention to defraud outlines the critical components of forgery.

The other choices, while they involve elements of deceit or misrepresentation, do not specifically define forgery. For instance, merely altering a legally binding document could fall under a related offense but does not inherently encompass the full act of forgery without the requisite intent to defraud. Similarly, falsely representing a fact to obtain property is a different crime, such as fraud, that does not necessarily involve the creation or alteration of documents. Misleading another through deceitful practices describes broader fraudulent behaviors but lacks the specificity required for defining forgery. Thus, the highlighted answer accurately captures the criminal nature of forgery through its focus on false writings and intent to defraud.