What offense is committed when someone makes a false statement under oath?

When someone makes a false statement under oath, the offense committed is perjury. Perjury is defined as the act of swearing a false oath or affirming to tell the truth while knowingly providing false information. This crime undermines the integrity of the judicial process, as it can lead to wrongful convictions or the dismissal of legitimate claims.

Perjury is a serious offense generally considered a felony, reflecting the gravity of the violation against the legal oath. It highlights the importance of truthfulness in legal proceedings, ensuring that the courts can rely on the testimonies presented. While aggravated perjury also involves lying under oath, it typically requires additional elements, such as the false statement being made during a trial or a significant legal proceeding, which is a more severe level of the offense. False reporting typically pertains to making false claims about a crime, while tampering with evidence involves altering, destroying, or concealing evidence and is separate from making false statements under oath.