The criminal offence of knowingly telling a lie (with intent to influence the outcome of the hearing) in a court of law after having taken an oath or affirmation. It closely relates to and is often implicit within the offence of perverting the course of justice, which in the UK technically carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The word perjuryThe criminal offence of knowingly telling a lie (with intent... derives from Latin perjurium, meaning false oath, similar to jury which comes from jurare, meaning to swear.
