Lying to your boss to get out of a work event surely isn’t the most honorable thing to do, but it probably won’t put you behind bars. Lying to a judge and jury in court, however, can cost you thousands of dollars in fines and get you sent to jail. That’s why if you’re facing perjury charges, you should call a reliable perjury lawyer in Trenton like Mark Catanzaro.
Mark Catanzaro is the Trenton perjury attorney who knows both federal and New Jersey state perjury laws. He’ll be able to answer all of your questions throughout the process, and will build a thorough defense to help your case.
As you may have guessed, perjury is the act of making a false statement (or lying) under oath in an official proceeding. There are a few requirements that constitute a statement as perjury:
- The person making the statement must be aware that the statement is false. Simply being mistaken, or not knowing your statement wasn’t true does not count as perjury. This can make perjury difficult to prove at times.
- The statement must be “material,” meaning it has to do directly with the case and can affect the outcome of the proceeding.
In New Jersey there is also another criminal offense separate from perjury called “false swearing.” Similar to perjury, false swearing requires lying under oath; however, perjury requires the false statement be made in an official proceeding while false swearing does not. For example, making a false statement in a notarized document constitutes as false swearing even if the statement is not material.
Perjury is a third-degree crime while false swearing is a fourth degree crime. Perjury conviction can consist of three to five years in prison as well as $15,000 fine.
Contact The Most Trusted Perjury Lawyer in Trenton Today!
If convicted of perjury, New Jersey law states that the conviction can never be expunged, no matter how much time has passed. That’s why if you’ve been charged with perjury, it’s imperative you contact an experienced perjury attorney in Trenton.
Mr. Catanzaro is a Trenton perjury attorney with over 30 years of experience, so you count on him to answer all your questions. Contact his offices today by calling 610-261-3400 to schedule an appointment at one of his two conveniently located offices in Mount Holly or Trenton.