Defending Against 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 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.
About Perjury Laws
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. You need to know 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 Don’t Let Prosecutors Run Over Your Rights
If you have been charged with obstruction of justice in a state or federal court in Utah, contact a Salt Lake City obstruction of justice defense lawyer at Greg Smith and Associates. As someone with prosecutorial experience, attorney Greg Smith leads our team with a wealth of experience, applying aggressive, successful defense strategies that counter the prosecutor’s case.
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
- Contempt of court
Contact A Utah 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 801-651-1512.for a free initial consultation at our office in West Jordan or Park City.
