True or False: Can a child be held criminally liable for committing perjury?

True or False: Can a child be held criminally liable for committing perjury?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if Over 15
• D. Only if Under 10

Answer: (A)

Perjury means lying under oath about a matter that matters in the case. In juvenile law, a child can be held criminally liable for perjury as long as they are old enough to be charged with crimes and they knowingly make a false statement while under oath. That makes the statement true. The age lines in the other options aren’t the rule: liability isn’t determined by “over 15” or “under 10” alone; it hinges on being above the jurisdiction’s minimum age of criminal responsibility and actually lying knowingly under oath.

Perjury means lying under oath about a matter that matters in the case. In juvenile law, a child can be held criminally liable for perjury as long as they are old enough to be charged with crimes and they knowingly make a false statement while under oath. That makes the statement true. The age lines in the other options aren’t the rule: liability isn’t determined by “over 15” or “under 10” alone; it hinges on being above the jurisdiction’s minimum age of criminal responsibility and actually lying knowingly under oath.