Defense on Charges of Perjury or Obstruction of Justice
The United States criminal justice system relies on participants to act honestly and in good faith when presenting the facts in order to ensure that all parties have equal access to the law and that justice is done.
A charge of obstruction of justice can be brought against someone who acts in a way that is detrimental to the legal process. Examples of obstruction of justice include attempts to bribe a witness (bribery), refusing to appear in court (refusing a subpoena), aiding and abetting a wanted fugitive, refusing to respond to a grand jury investigation, and lying in a sworn deposition.
In order to get to the facts of a case, the courts must try to obtain truthful information. Perjury laws were created to give people an incentive to provide truthful testimony. Perjury is willfully and intentionally making a false statement under oath. That false statement must be pertinent to the case
When prosecutors become frustrated by their inability to gather the evidence they need to support their case, it is not uncommon for them to threaten charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy or acting as an accomplice in the hopes of extracting information from a key witness.
What you need to know is that refusing to answer questions isn't a crime. It is your right.
Answering a question falsely, however, is a crime. The penalty for perjury could be time in prison.
We Believe in Your Rights, and We Don't Let Prosecutors Ignore Them
If you have been charged with obstruction of justice in a state or federal court in Utah, talk to a Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer at Greg Smith and Associates. As a former prosecutor, attorney Greg Smith leads our team with a wealth of experience applying aggressive, successful defense strategies that counter the prosecutor's objectives.
We have experience representing clients who face 'add-on' charges, such as:
- Obstructing justice
- Accomplice, third party
- Conspiracy
- Resisting arrest
- Aiding and abetting a fugitive
- Mail and wire fraud
- Contempt of court
Contact a Conspiracy Defense Law Firm
If you face state or federal criminal charges for obstruction of justice, contact our federal crimes defense attorneys online or call 801-924-4934 or toll free 888-708-8867 for a free initial consultation at our office in West Jordan or Park City.
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Clients with disabilities or impairments
Access to our office is available to clients and their family members at all times. Special equipment and communication devices are available upon request for our clients with visual, hearing, speech and physical impairment. In addition, arrangements can be made for verbal or sign language interpreters if needed to communicate between our attorneys and the client and family. Please notify our law office if any additional accommodations related to your disability or impairment are necessary to make your consultation more comfortable.
