Dumfries Perjury Lawyer

Perjury is the act of giving false information while under oath. The crime of perjury is generally carried out in the courtroom but it can also occur in any situation where a person is under oath to provide accurate and truthful information. Perjury is a serious crime that can result in either felony or misdemeanor charges.

If you are currently facing perjury charges, you should think about hiring a skilled criminal defense attorney who knows how to defend against them. If you are convicted of a felony, you could potentially go to prison, as well as lose a host of other rights. Fortunately, depending on the circumstances of your case, it might still be possible to get your charges dropped or reduced. A Dumfries perjury lawyer could help you determine the best course of action in your specific case.

Perjury Involving Court Cases

The vast majority of perjury cases involve those who have made false statements to a court and those who provide false information in an official written document. To show a person is guilty of perjury, a prosecutor must prove three facts:

• The defendant provided a false statement while under oath.
• The defendant was aware the statement was false.
• The false statement they provided was material to the case.

To convict a person, the court must be able to prove the statement in question was false in the first place. If the court cannot prove the statement was false, a local lying-under-oath attorney might be able to get the charges reduced or dismissed.

Other Forms of Perjury

A person can commit perjury by providing false information on official documents. Documents such as traffic tickets, driver’s license applications, divorce proceedings, marriage certificates, and others require the person filling them out to provide accurate and truthful information. If a person knowingly falsifies information when filling out one of the previously mentioned documents, they can be charged with perjury. In addition, if a person states a document containing false information is truthful or authentic, they can be charged with perjury if they know any information contained within is untrue.

It is also possible for a person to perjure themselves with testimony. If a person knowingly provides a court with contradictory information, they can be held liable for doing so. Even if a person recants a previous statement they know is false, perjury charges are still possible.

Penalties for Perjury

Perjury is typically considered a Class 5 felony in Virginia and anyone convicted would face all of the penalties associated with a permanent felony conviction. However, if a person is charged with a Class 5 felony, the prosecutor or police officer may decide to bring the lesser misdemeanor charge instead, depending on the circumstance of the case. A person facing a class 5 felony might be able to get it reduced to a misdemeanor with the aid of a perjury lawyer in the area.

If a person accused of perjury is tried for a felony, they can face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500 if they are convicted. If a person receives a misdemeanor charge, they can be jailed for up to a year and asked to pay a fine of up to $2,500 if they are convicted.

Speak With a Dumfries Perjury Attorney

If you are facing perjury charges, you must take them seriously. The court harshly prosecutes anyone charged with perjury, and a conviction can have severe repercussions on your life moving forward. However, with a skilled Dumfries perjury lawyer on your side, your chances of a positive outcome could increase. Call today to learn about what could be possible in your case.