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 Georgia, perjury is defined as knowingly and willfully making a false statement while under oath or affirmation in any official proceeding. This includes both verbal statements and written documents that are legally recognized as sworn statements. Perjury is considered a felony offense under Georgia law, as outlined in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 16-10-70. A person convicted of perjury in Georgia can face a prison sentence of one to ten years. Additionally, subornation of perjury, which involves persuading or inducing another person to commit perjury, is also a criminal offense under Georgia law and is treated with similar severity. At the federal level, perjury is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 1621, and it is also treated as a serious offense, potentially leading to fines and imprisonment. Both state and federal laws aim to uphold the integrity of the judicial system by penalizing false statements that could undermine the administration of justice.