Perjury is the criminal offense of making a false statement under oath—verbally or in writing—that the witness knows to be false and that is material to the proceeding in which the statement is made. And suborning perjury or subornation of perjury is the criminal offense of procuring the perjury of another person.

Perjury is a criminal offense under both state and federal laws and may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or as a felony offense, depending on the state or federal jurisdiction, and whether there are any aggravating factors that increase the seriousness of the crime. Perjury laws are located in state statutes—often in the penal or criminal code—and the federal perjury law is located in the United States Code at 18 U.S.C. §1621.

In Alabama, perjury is considered a serious criminal offense. It is defined as intentionally giving false testimony under oath in a judicial proceeding, knowing the testimony to be false. This applies to both verbal and written statements that are material to the case at hand. Perjury is codified under the Alabama Code 1975, Section 13A-10-101. The crime of perjury in Alabama is typically classified as a Class C felony, which can result in a range of penalties including fines and imprisonment. Additionally, subornation of perjury, which involves persuading or inducing another person to commit perjury, is also a criminal offense and is treated with similar severity. At the federal level, perjury is governed by 18 U.S.C. §1621, and like in Alabama, it is a felony offense that carries significant penalties, including the possibility of fines and imprisonment. An attorney can provide more detailed information about the potential consequences of a perjury or subornation of perjury charge in Alabama.