Many of the judicial processes that occur on the state and local level in Manhattan rely on the truthfulness of participants. Official documents that you present to the government, as well as information that you provide while under oath, hold you to this standard. Knowingly providing untruthful and inaccurate information is a criminal offense.
Allegations involving perjury are serious matters. Every example is a felony where a conviction can result in a lengthy prison sentence. A Manhattan perjury lawyer could help you whether you are facing a perjury charge on its own or allegations connected to another alleged offense. A dedicated defense attorney could work to evaluate the truthfulness of your statement and develop defenses against your charges.
The government relies on truthful statements in many situations. This includes when people apply for a loan, disclose their income on a tax return, or during trials in courtrooms. In each of these cases, a party either signs a document stating that the information they are providing is true and accurate or takes an oath or affirmation before a judge. These oaths and signatures are a person’s guarantee that the information that they are providing is truthful to the best of their knowledge.
The truthfulness of this information is so important that knowingly providing false information is a crime. According to Kansas Statute § 21-5903, perjury occurs when a person intentionally and falsely:
In simpler terms, perjury occurs when a person provides an official statement to the government, knowing that the statement is false. Convictions for perjury are usually level 9, nonperson felonies meaning that a court could sentence a person to a prison term of up to 17 months. However, an act of perjury during a felony-level criminal trial raises the severity to that of a level 7 nonperson felony. In these cases, a court may sentence a person to up to 34 months in prison. A skilled Manhattan attorney could help an individual better understand their perjury charges and the possible consequences.
Prosecutors often struggle to prove allegations of perjury. This is because the statute requires an individual to knowingly and intentionally provide false information. Demonstrating a person’s mindset beyond a reasonable doubt is especially complicated during a criminal trial.
As a result, a Manhattan perjury lawyer could work to raise defenses that dispute a defendant’s state of mind during the alleged event. Perhaps the simplest way to accomplish this is to argue that a defendant made an honest mistake. People may not realize that what they are saying is false. It could also be possible to introduce evidence that a defendant did not intend to mislead a government body. Each case is unique, but a Manhattan perjury lawyer could help a defendant build a defense that makes sense for them.
Providing false information under oath is illegal. If you have been charged with perjury, you could be facing years behind bars and other long-term impacts on your life. It is crucial to seek legal counsel immediately in these situations.
A Manhattan perjury lawyer could evaluate the facts that led to your charges and formulate a defense that aims to protect your future. Reach out today to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a dedicated member of our legal team.
