Legal Standing of Court if Testimony is Sworn or Unsworn
Full Question:
What legal standing or value in court does a 'Unsworn' Deposition or 'Unsworn' examination of an individual have?
03/12/2009 |
Category: Discovery ยป Depositions |
State: ALL |
#15580
Answer:
It has as much value as the trier of fact determines it does. It is possible that the fact the statement is sworn to under oath may make the judge or jury tend to trust its credibility more. A main difference is in the penalties that apply to untrue statements. Often, in order for
charges to be brought against the maker of the untrue statement, the statement must have been made under oath. The fact that penalties may attach for lying under oath may lead a trier of fact to trust the testimony more than unsworn testimony.