§1623 False declarations before grand jury or court

Summary

Makes it a crime to knowingly lie while under oath or in any written statement sworn or signed under penalty of perjury in any U.S. court or grand jury matter. It also covers using or giving any paper, record, recording, or other material that you know has a false, important statement. The punishment can include a fine or up to five years in prison, and up to ten years if the matter is before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or its review court. The rule applies whether the act happened inside or outside the United States. If someone gives two or more sworn statements that conflict so that one must be false, an indictment does not have to say which one is false if each was important and made within the time allowed by the statute of limitations. If, during the same ongoing court or grand jury process, the person admits a statement was false before it affected the case or before it would have been exposed, they cannot be prosecuted. Conviction must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and no set number or type of witnesses or documents is required.