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Bill

LC 4145

Revise laws related to perjury and false swearing

2025 Regular Session

Montana LC 4145 revises perjury and false swearing statutes to clarify definitions and penalties for false testimony in legal proceedings.

(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
#courts(seealso:judgesandjustices;juriesandjurors) #crimes #revenue #state
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Bill Summary · LC 4145

Legislative bill overview

LC 4145 proposes revisions to Montana's laws governing perjury and false swearing offenses. The bill is currently in the final drafting stage and has not yet been formally introduced in the legislature. Without access to the specific language, the exact nature of the proposed changes remains unclear from the available metadata.

Why is this important

Perjury and false swearing laws form the foundation of oath-taking integrity in courts, depositions, and official proceedings. Changes to these statutes could affect criminal penalties, burden of proof standards, or what constitutes criminal versus civil liability—directly impacting the reliability of testimony and witness accountability in Montana's justice system.

Potential points of contention

  • Whether proposed changes increase or decrease criminal penalties for perjury, affecting deterrent effect and sentencing consistency
  • How revised definitions of "false swearing" might expand or narrow prosecutorial authority
  • Whether the bill addresses enforcement challenges, such as the difficulty of proving intent to deceive or establishing contradictory statements as perjurious

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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