Lying Under Oath

The act of lying under oath is called perjury in most jurisdictions, although it can also be referred to as forswearing or lying on oath.

Steven Colbert calls lying “untruthiness.”

In legal terms, it requires an intentional act of lying after a person has taken an oath or affirmation to tell the truth.

Penalties for this crime can vary by jurisdiction, but often include imprisonment.

Penalties, of course, vary wildly depending on WHO the liar is.

Perjury is a crime in many jurisdictions.

And in others perjury is totally accepted, depending on WHO the liar is.

A person can commit perjury by lying under oath either verbally or in writing.

A choice? That’s a good thing.

Although the possible punishment for this crime can vary, under the laws of many countries, it is considered serious and therefore carries a possible prison sentence if a person is convicted.

For the well-heeled it’s forty whacks with a wet noodle.

In reality, however, prosecutions for perjury are somewhat rare in most places.
 
Especially if the liar is the right shade of white.

A person may commit perjury by testifying under oath and making a false statement during that testimony.

Picky  Picky  Picky

Under the rules of procedure in most legal systems, a witness must be "sworn in" prior to beginning his or her testimony.

Sworn in and sworn at, depending on which side of the aisle you’re sitting.
 
Swearing in includes the witnesses agreeing, under the penalties of perjury, to tell the complete truth when he or she testifies.

Can you say Eric Holder? I thought you could.

Regarding lying...everybody does it, right?

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