A perjury charge occurs when an individual is accused of lying under oath in a court of law. A false statement conviction carries severe consequences, including prison time, so it may be wise to engage qualified legal representation as soon as you have been made aware of your situation.
You can still be charged with perjury even if you did not make your false claims in a courtroom. Making a willfully inaccurate statement on a signed legal documents could also result in allegations of this crime. To protect your rights, let a DeKalb County perjury lawyer take on your case and push back against your charges.
According to Title 16, Chapter 10, Article 4, Section 70 of the Official Georgia Code Annotated, perjury involves “knowingly and willingly” lying in a judicial proceeding or on an legal document. Whether the false statement is relevant to the case depends on what the prosecution can prove and the judge’s discretion. For example, if the prosecution claims perjury over an inconsequential detail that does not pertain to the case’s merit or outcome, the defendant’s attorney could claim irrelevance and the judge may rule as such.
Another perjury charge under state law would be persuading another individual to lie under oath. The accused individual could be charged with threatening a material witness or another form of coercion, which could incur serious consequences.
Sometimes, a person’s poor memory can serve as a defense against a perjury accusation. If the defendant could not recall certain case details and gave testimony based on what they remembered, they did not “knowingly and willingly” issue false statements, and a DeKalb County attorney could argue that their actions did not constitute perjury.
Other defenses can include confusion at the time of the testimony, such as failing to understand the question correctly, or mental fog due to pharmaceutical drug or controlled substance use. Making mistakes and unintentionally misrepresenting information are common perjury defenses that can be effective.
The penalties for perjury in Georgia include:
If the defendant is found guilty of perjury that resulted in another individual’s false imprisonment, they will face a prison sentence, and the amount of time in prison must not exceed the sentence of the falsely accused individual. If the defendant is found guilty of perjury that resulted in an individual’s death sentence, they would face life in prison. A perjury lawyer in DeKalb County could work diligently to avoid these outcomes by using the available evidence to cast doubt on the prosecution’s arguments.
Perjury charges carry severe penalties and can make you appear untrustworthy in a court of law. By working with a DeKalb County perjury lawyer, you could craft a viable defense against the prosecution’s case and potentially reduce or dismiss your criminal charges. A seasoned attorney could guide you through this overwhelming situation and provide crucial representation. Contact us today.
518 Georgia Avenue
Phone: (423) 888-3030 
