A witness making untrue statements while under oath can face charges of what?

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When a witness makes untrue statements while under oath, the correct charge they may face is perjury. This is a serious offense that occurs when an individual willfully provides false testimony during a judicial proceeding after taking an oath to tell the truth. The act of lying under oath undermines the integrity of the judicial process, which is why perjury is treated as a criminal act with significant legal repercussions.

The other options, while they pertain to judicial conduct, do not specifically address the act of providing false testimonies. Contempt of court generally refers to actions that show disrespect for the court or its proceedings, while obstruction of justice pertains to actions that interfere with the lawful investigation or prosecution of criminal offenses. Pernicious conduct is not a recognized legal term related to this context and does not accurately capture the nature of lying under oath.