When is it illegal to lie?

Of course, you can’t lie when you like big ass, but how dishonest can you be in other situations? It turns out to be pretty dishonest. In most everyday situations, you can duplicate as much as you like and no one can put you in jail. You can tell people that your uncle works at Nintendo or that your arms are made of chocolate. Crime (usually). The first fix gives us wide freedom to say whatever we want, even if it’s bullshit, but there are exceptions-and when you’re not legally permitted. Telling a lie can have dire consequences. A guide when lying can lead to imprisonment, fines and general disgrace.

It’s not a good idea to lie in this situation

Laws vary by jurisdiction and there are always potential exceptions to any of these situations, but in general there are major situations where it is illegal to lie here.

When involved in a federal investigation

according to 18 US Code §1001You may be fined or imprisoned for making “substantially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations” about “issues within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Government’s administration, legislation, or judiciary.” .. It’s pretty wide, isn’t it? You don’t have to swear, and you don’t need to know that the person lying is a federal agent. It may be a casual conversation at McDonald’s. People are convicted under this law For lying to people who weren’t part of the government. You don’t even have to be guilty of the underlying crime that the federal government is investigating. Martha Stewart, Scooter Libby and George Papadopoulos have all fallen because of this law.

When making an oath

You can’t lie in court. Perjury is a serious crime. Details vary from state to state and from situation to situation, but deliberately making false statements during an oath is almost always a felony. And it’s not just lying to the criminal court. Perjury may also be filed by sworn in a civil deposition or affidavit or declaration.Oh, and Lie to Congress..

When arrested

Details vary by jurisdiction, but in the United States, even if you lie about your involvement in a crime, you may be prosecuted for lying to the police if you are arrested. Therefore, do not say anything to the police officer except “I am silent” and “I want a lawyer”.

When “legally detained” by police

In general, you can exercise your right to remain silent by interacting with the police, with exceptions. In some states, if you are in a car, you may need to provide your name, or driver’s license and registration, to the police on request and if you are “legally detained.” If you are in this situation, it may be a crime. If you’re talking to a police officer who isn’t investigating a crime and you haven’t been arrested or detained, it’s not illegal to lie to them more than anyone else. So feel free to give fake numbers to off-duty police officers who want to date you.

If you are asked about the crime you witnessed

Don’t lie to the police to protect your criminal friend. Whenever police are investigating a crime. In some states, you may be prosecuted for obstruction of justice, subsequent accessories, and false statements. Fortunately, you are usually not obliged to assist in police investigations. You usually do not need to consult the police at all, except to provide your name or driver’s license and registration (if you are driving). Therefore, please do not provide any information. Instead of saying, “He was with me when the liquor store was robbed,” he says, “I want to keep silent.”

When submitting a police report

It is a crime to submit a false police report.

For many types of financial disclosure documents, including taxes

The details of the kind of financial documents you can’t lie about are too wide to get in here (and if you’re an executive officer entrusted with this, you get information about it from this website (It shouldn’t be), but we all file tax returns. Lying on them deliberately and willingly can be a crime.

When you are promoting something

Under various state and federal laws, it is a crime to provide inaccurate or misleading information (or omit certain types of information) in advertising. Advertisers can afford to make the following statements: largely A lie, or a statement that is a “puffery,” but don’t expect them to arrest Gizeppe because he didn’t actually offer you the best pizza in the world.

If you are committing a scam

This is a bit of a subtle distinction, but if you lie to commit fraud or other crime, the lie itself is not an illegal part. It’s a crime you’re lying to to commit to be illegal. Therefore, you will not be charged anything to tell people that you are a doctor, but if they pay you and you do a nose job to them, you probably have two crimes. I committed.

Going to jail is not the only possible result of lying

The first amendment prevents the government from prosecuting you for lying in most situations, but the civil consequences are different. There are too many ways for dishonesty to sue you, and there are too many details to get in here, but it’s very simplified: your lies do some damage to others. If it’s a deliberate lie or not, they can sue you because it’s a random lie, pay attention to the consequences of your actions, look at your tongue, and get legal remedies. Try to deceive only those who do not have the means to ask. Or don’t lie to anyone.