Perjury is the criminal offense of making a false statement under oath—verbally or in writing—that the witness knows to be false and that is material to the proceeding in which the statement is made. And suborning perjury or subornation of perjury is the criminal offense of procuring the perjury of another person.

Perjury is a criminal offense under both state and federal laws and may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or as a felony offense, depending on the state or federal jurisdiction, and whether there are any aggravating factors that increase the seriousness of the crime. Perjury laws are located in state statutes—often in the penal or criminal code—and the federal perjury law is located in the United States Code at 18 U.S.C. §1621.

In Delaware, perjury is considered a serious criminal offense. It is defined as intentionally making a false statement under oath, whether verbally or in writing, which the person knows to be untrue and which is material to the proceeding. Delaware state statutes classify perjury as a felony, which can lead to significant penalties including imprisonment. The specific provisions regarding perjury can be found in Title 11 of the Delaware Code, which deals with crimes and criminal procedure. Suborning perjury, or persuading another person to commit perjury, is also a criminal offense in Delaware and is treated with similar severity as perjury itself. At the federal level, perjury is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 1621, and like in Delaware, it is a felony offense that can result in severe consequences, including fines and imprisonment. The federal law applies to false statements made under oath in federal proceedings, including those in federal courts and before federal agencies.