Perjury is a criminal act that occurs when a person lies or makes statements that are not truthful while under oath. For example, if a person is asked to testify in a criminal proceeding, and he/she is under oath but does not tell the truth, he/she can be charged with perjury if it is discovered that he/she lied. By committing perjury, people partake in the miscarriage of criminal justice and corrupt the legal process.
Perjury is a very serious criminal offense, even though most people who lie under oath do not consider it to be very serious. When people commit perjury, they disrupt the legitimate discovery of truth. For this reason, people who are charged with perjury are likely to face a variety of severe legal ramifications if they are convicted. Some of these legal consequences may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- incarceration;
- probation; and
- court costs and fines.
How an Attorney Can Help
An experienced attorney can help a person charged with or accused of perjury avoid the harsh penalties associated with this offense. Investigating the charges and circumstances of the crime, obtaining physical evidence and talking to witnesses are all ways that a criminal defense attorney can help a perjury case reach a positive outcome for the defendant (the person accused of perjury).
After people have been charged with a crime such as perjury, it is important that they are informed of their legal rights and options. The best way people can become informed throughout the legal process is by retaining the services of a criminal defense attorney who will continually protect their clients’ best interests. By working closely with the right attorney, people may be able to avoid conviction for perjury and not have to deal with the life-altering consequences that are associated with most perjury convictions.
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