A person commits the offense of misrepresenting a notarized document in the first degree if the offense was committed for ________ of commercial or private financial gain.

• A. The purpose of commercial or private financial gain
• B. Public benefit
• C. To avoid taxes
• D. To obtain social advantage

Answer: (A)

The key element is intent to profit. In this offense, a misrepresentation of a notarized document rises to the first degree only when the act is done for the purpose of obtaining commercial or private financial gain. That specific motive to gain money is what elevates it to the higher degree. Motives like public benefit, tax avoidance, or social advantage do not meet this financial-gain requirement, so they don’t qualify for the first-degree level. Understanding that the crime hinges on the purposeful pursuit of financial gain helps explain why the correct choice is the one specifying “the purpose of commercial or private financial gain.”