Define: Perjury

Perjury
Perjury
Quick Summary of Perjury

Perjury is the act of deliberately providing false information while under oath or affirmation in a legal proceeding, such as a court trial, deposition, or sworn statement. It involves knowingly making false statements or giving misleading testimony with the intent to deceive or obstruct justice. Perjury undermines the integrity of the legal system by obstructing the search for truth and fairness in legal proceedings. It is considered a serious offense and is punishable by law, often resulting in criminal charges, fines, and imprisonment. Perjury can occur in both civil and criminal cases and may lead to severe legal consequences for the individual found guilty of committing perjury.

What is the dictionary definition of Perjury?
Dictionary Definition of Perjury

The criminal offence of making false statements under oath.

legal The deliberate giving of false or misleading testimony under oath. n. the crime of intentionally lying after being duly sworn (to tell the truth) by a notary public, court clerk or other official. This false statement may be made in testimony in court, administrative hearings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, as well as by signing or acknowledging a written legal document (such as affidavit, declaration under penalty of perjury, deed, license application, tax return) known to contain false information. Although it is a crime, prosecutions for perjury are rare, because a defendant will argue he/she merely made a mistake or misunderstood.

Full Definition Of Perjury

Perjury is the act of making intentionally false, misleading or incomplete statements under oath. Perjury is considered a criminal offence. Sometimes legal documents can also be signed “under penalty of perjury” which means if incomplete or false statements are submitted on the forms the person may face criminal charges.

Perjury is considered a crime because the judicial system in the United States is predicated on the assumption that testimony presented to the court is accurate and reliable. If a witness commits perjury the jurors, who relied on the testimony, may convict someone who is innocent. To commit perjury the witness must: 1) deliberately provide information which is inaccurate; 2) the evidence provided must be material the trial and affect the outcome of the trial.

The U.S. Constitution does allow, under the Fifth Amendment, the right of a witness to avoid self-incriminating testimony by “pleading the fifth.” Under this condition, the witness can make this choice rather than offering false testimony.

Related Phrases
No related content found.
Disclaimer

This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. Persuing this glossary does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

This glossary post was last updated: 29th March, 2024.

Cite Term

To help you cite our definitions in your bibliography, here is the proper citation layout for the three major formatting styles, with all of the relevant information filled in.

  • Page URL:https://dlssolicitors.com/define/perjury/
  • Modern Language Association (MLA):Perjury. dlssolicitors.com. DLS Solicitors. March 29, 2024 https://dlssolicitors.com/define/perjury/.
  • Chicago Manual of Style (CMS):Perjury. dlssolicitors.com. DLS Solicitors. https://dlssolicitors.com/define/perjury/ (accessed: March 29, 2024).
  • American Psychological Association (APA):Perjury. dlssolicitors.com. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from dlssolicitors.com website: https://dlssolicitors.com/define/perjury/