perjury

(noun)

The intentional act of swearing a false oath or of falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding.

Related Terms

Examples of perjury in the following topics:

  • The Impeachment of Bill Clinton

    • In 1998, Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice by the House of Representatives; he was later acquitted by the Senate.
    • Two other impeachment articles, a second perjury charge, and a charge of abuse of power failed in the House.
    • With a two-thirds majority required for conviction (i.e., 67 out of 100 senators), only 45 senators voted guilty on the perjury charge and 50 on the obstruction charge.
    • The evidence, however, indicated otherwise, and Starr began to investigate the possibility that Clinton had committed perjury.
    • The perjury charge was defeated with 45 votes for conviction and 55 against, and the obstruction of justice charge was defeated with 50 for conviction and 50 against.

  • Impeachment and Removal from Office

    • A United States federal judge named Walter Nixon was convicted of committing perjury before a grand jury.

  • The Eighth Amendment and Cruel and Unusual Punishment

    • The Englishman was tried in 1685 for multiple acts of perjury during the ascension of King James II after a number of people whom Oates had wrongly accused of treason were executed.