What happens if you lie to law enforcement

You may be afraid of getting a loved one — or yourself — in trouble, regardless of whether or not anything illegal was done. You may feel tempted to slightly alter the truth in an effort to stay out of trouble.

But while your nerves and concerns may be understandable, the act of doing so is never okay. If you are found to have lied to law enforcement, you will likely face several consequences. This law cannot prevent a person from deciding not to speak, and it does not apply to victims of crimes or those in fear for their safety or the safety of others.

The best thing to do is to request an attorney and then remain silent. I put in the time and effort it takes to get the results my clients need. To find out more, give me a call at Driving under the influence is a serious offense. Self-driving cars are no longer a futuristic, far-fetched idea.

They are very real, and we are With the passage of Proposal 1 the Marijuana Legalization Initiative in , marijuana was July 20, By Attorney Daniel Hajji. Simply put, you can face criminal charges if you lie to a police officer. Because you lied to the police knowing that it would help your friend avoid arrest, you can be charged with being an accessory after the fact. Perjury involves making false statements while under oath or affirmation. For example, if you give testimony at trial, you must swear or affirm that your testimony will be truthful.

If you lie about something material while giving such testimony, you can be charged with perjury. When dealing with the police in a criminal investigation you typically aren't under oath, so you cannot commit perjury by lying to them but you have likely committed another crime.

If you have lied to, misled, or otherwise interfered with the authorities, or have been charged with a crime relating to such conduct, you need to speak to a criminal defense attorney right away. An experienced attorney in your area will be able to tell you what crimes you could be charged with and what you can do to help yourself.

If the police accuse you of lying, you should usually ask to speak to an attorney before making any statements that might incriminate you. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service.

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