Perjury
Perjury typically means making a false statement under oath or swearing that a previously made false statement is true (regarding a statement that is required by law to be made under oath). A prime example of perjury is falsifying your alma mater on your résumé when applying for a position with the state or federal government. Perhaps you include a prestigious university because you believe it will impress your interviewer (and potential boss), but because the job is a government job – and your interviewer is a government worker – this seemingly innocent lie can amount to perjury.
Aggravated Perjury
When it comes to the law, the term aggravated naturally means a bump or intensification of the charge in question. While aggravated usually applies to assault-type charges, it can apply to many different kinds of charges, including perjury. For the perjury to rise to the level of aggravated perjury, the lie in question must relate to an official proceeding, and the issue at hand must be a material issue, which means that it is an issue that can directly affect the outcome of the case in question.
An example of aggravated perjury is a witness to a crime who lies on the stand and says that he happened to miss seeing the crime – in an attempt to protect the perpetrator of the crime. This is an example of aggravated perjury because the witness’s testimony can directly affect the trial’s outcome, and since he lied during testimony at trial, it elevates the lie to a third-degree felony. A third-degree felony conviction for aggravated perjury comes with the following potential fines and penalties:
A state prison sentence of from 2 to 10 years
A fine of up to $10,000