4105 - Bad checks.

     § 4105.  Bad checks.        (a)  Offense defined.--            (1)  A person commits an offense if he issues or passes a        check or similar sight order for the payment of money,        knowing that it will not be honored by the drawee.            (2)  A person commits an offense if he, knowing that it        will not be honored by the drawee, issues or passes a check        or similar sight order for the payment of money when the        drawee is located within this Commonwealth. A violation of        this paragraph shall occur without regard to whether the        location of the issuance or passing of the check or similar        sight order is within or outside of this Commonwealth. It        shall be no defense to a violation of this section that some        or all of the acts constituting the offense occurred outside        of this Commonwealth.        (b)  Presumptions.--For the purposes of this section as well     as in any prosecution for theft committed by means of a bad     check, the following shall apply:            (1)  An issuer is presumed to know that the check or        order (other than a post-dated check or order) would not be        paid, if:                (i)  payment was refused because the issuer had no            such account with the drawee at the time the check or            order was issued; or                (ii)  payment was refused by the drawee for lack of            funds, upon presentation within 30 days after issue, and            the issuer failed to make good within ten days after            receiving notice of that refusal.        Notice of refusal may be given to the issuer orally or in        writing by any person. Proof that notice was sent by        registered or certified mail, regardless of whether a receipt        was requested or returned, to the address printed on the        check or, if none, then to the issuer's last known address,        shall raise a presumption that the notice was received.            (2)  A check or order stamped "NSF" or "insufficient        funds" shall raise a presumption that payment was refused by        the drawee for lack of funds.            (3)  A check or order stamped "account closed" or "no        such account" or "counterfeit" shall raise a presumption that        payment was refused by the drawee because the issuer had no        such account with the drawee at the time the check or order        was issued.        (c)  Grading.--            (1)  An offense under this section is:                (i)  a summary offense if the check or order is less            than $200;                (ii)  a misdemeanor of the third degree if the check            or order is $200 or more but less than $500;                (iii)  a misdemeanor of the second degree if the            check or order is $500 or more but less than $1,000;                (iv)  a misdemeanor of the first degree if the check            or order is $1,000 or more but is less than $75,000; or                (v)  a felony of the third degree if the check or            order is $75,000 or more.            (2)  When the offense is a third or subsequent offense        within a five-year period, regardless of the amount of the        check or order and regardless of the grading of the prior        offenses, an offense under this section is a misdemeanor of        the first degree unless the amount of the check or order        involved in the third or subsequent offense is $75,000 or        more, then the offense is a felony of the third degree.        (d)  Venue.--An offense under subsection (a) may be deemed to     have been committed at either the place where the defendant     issues or passes the bad check or similar sight order for the     payment of money or the place where the financial institution     upon which the bad check or similar sight order for the payment     of money was drawn is located.        (e)  Costs.--Upon conviction under this section the sentence     shall include an order for the issuer or passer to reimburse the     payee or such other party as the circumstances may indicate for:            (1)  The face amount of the check.            (2)  Interest at the legal rate on the face amount of the        check from the date of dishonor by the drawee.            (3)  A service charge if written notice of the service        charge was conspicuously displayed on the payee's premises        when the check was issued. The service charge shall not        exceed $50 unless the payee is charged fees in excess of $50        by financial institutions as a result of such bad check or        similar sight order for the payment of money. If the payee is        charged fees in excess of $50, then the service charge shall        not exceed the actual amount of the fees.     (July 6, 1984, P.L.647, No.134, eff. 90 days; Dec. 20, 1996,     P.L.1531, No.201, eff. 60 days; June 22, 2000, P.L.382, No.50,     eff. 60 days; Dec. 18, 2007, P.L.462, No.70, eff. 60 days)        2007 Amendment.  Act 70 amended subsec. (e).        1996 Amendment.  Act 201 amended subsecs. (b) and (c).        Cross References.  Section 4105 is referred to in section     6122 of Title 7 (Banks and Banking); sections 3573, 3575, 8304     of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).