Perjury is defined as making in an official proceeding, under oath required or authorized by law, a false statement which the person does not believe to be true.

• A. Perjury
• B. Fraud
• C. Extortion
• D. Forgery

Answer: (A)

Perjury is lying under oath in an official proceeding. It rests on four elements: the statement is made in a setting that requires an oath (such as a court or sworn affidavit); the statement is false; the person making it knows it’s false at the time; and the intention is to mislead. This combination specifically targets false statements made while under oath, which is what makes it perjury.

This differs from other crimes: fraud involves deception for personal gain but isn’t confined to statements made under oath in an official proceeding; extortion centers on using threats to obtain something; forgery is about creating or altering a document to deceive, not about lying under oath in a proceeding. In the notary context, recognizing perjury matters because notaries administer oaths and must ensure the signer understands the oath and is being truthful, avoiding involvement in knowingly false sworn statements.