Perjury refers to the willful act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding.
To constitute perjury, the false statement must be made under oath, such as in court testimony or in a sworn deposition or affidavit.
Perjury is a serious crime that can be prosecuted as a felony punishable by fines or imprisonment for up to 5 years under federal law. State laws vary on potential perjury sentences.
The elements required to prove perjury generally include:
1) The person made a statement under oath or affirmation, 2) The statement was false, 3) The person knew the statement was false when they made it, and 4) The false statement was material or relevant to the proceedings.