Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Perjury is essentially the offense of lying under oath in an effort to deceive. Under English common law and early American common law, perjury was punishable by death. While the punishments for perjury have relaxed significantly over the years, perjury remains a crime and is seen as an offense that promulgates the miscarriage of justice.

Tennessee’s criminal perjury statute is found at TCA § 39-16-702. Under this section, a person commits simple perjury who, with intent to deceive, makes a false statement under oath; makes a statement under oath that confirms the truth of a previously made false statement; or makes a false statement not under oath but on an official document required to be made under oath, which states on its face that a false statement is subject to a perjury charge. Being charged with simple perjury is a Class A misdemeanor that may require the assistance of Tennessee's top criminal defense lawyer.

Under TCA § 39-16-702, there are two specific instances where perjury will be deemed a more serious criminal offense. First, it is a Class E felony for a person to commit perjury on an application for a handgun carry permit. Second, it is also a Class E felony for a person to commit perjury on a sexual offender or violent sexual offender TBI registration form.

Under TCA § 39-16-703, the criminal offense of aggravated perjury is outlined. Aggravated perjury differs from simple perjury in that the deceiving statement is made in connection with an official proceeding and the statement made is material. Essentially, this is meant for trials when the statement made had a substantial effect on the outcome of the trial. Aggravated perjury is a Class D felony, which is a much more serious offense than the Class A misdemeanor of simple perjury.

If you or someone you know has been accused of perjury or any other crime in Tennessee, it may in your best interest to get in touch with a skilled Knoxville criminal defense attorney at Baker Associates.