Perjury is the intentional act of making a false statement while under oath or affirmation to tell the truth, either spoken or in writing, about matters that are material to an official legal proceeding. To be considered perjury, the false statement must be made knowingly and willfully, meaning the person must have the intent to deceive and actually commit the act
. Key elements of perjury include:
- The person must have taken a lawful oath or affirmation to tell the truth.
- The false statement must be material, meaning it can affect the outcome of the proceeding.
- The person must know the statement is false or not believe it to be true.
- The false statement must be made during a judicial or official proceeding.
Perjury undermines the integrity of the legal system because courts and juries rely on truthful testimony to make decisions. It is considered a serious crime against justice and can result in penalties such as fines and imprisonment, with punishments varying by jurisdiction
. In summary, perjury is knowingly lying under oath about important facts in a legal context, which compromises the administration of justice
