Accepting a Check

Our office will make every effort to collect and/or prosecute hot checks cases.  However, due to legal and practical restrictions, there are certain checks that we cannot accept. Please review our Don’t Get Burned page to make sure that the checks you are accepting do not fall into these categories.

Procedure for Taking a Check

• Check-Writer’s Identity - An ID can be forged. If you are suspicious of a photo identification, examine it carefully.
• Complete Addresses - The check should contain a permanent street address, and home and work phone numbers.
• Corresponding Written Amounts & Numbers
• Legibility - The checks should be signed in your presence. Print the name on business account checks if you cannot read the signature.
• Recency of Date - Post-dated and replacement checks should not be accepted.
• Record Information - Recording the following information convinces the jury that the check writer actually wrote the check. This information enables the District Attorney to obtain a warrant.
  • Date of Birth
  • Driver’s License Number (Even if pre-printed)
  • Expiration Date of License
  • Initials of Clerk Accepting The Check

What You Should Be Checking For

• Make sure the signature is the same as the printed name
• Make sure the number amount matches the written amount

What You Should Be Recording

Do not rely on information on pre-printed checks nor on the check-writer providing or filling in the information himself. The person taking the check must verify the information by actually examining the identification in order to prove that the person identified on the check is the same as the person writing it.

Corporate & Doing Business As (DBA) Checks

Corporate and DBA checks require special attention. Make sure the signature is legible or print the person’s name above or below the signature. You must have the name of the person who issued the check to file the check with our office. You cannot simply allege the name of the company.