Lutz Perjury Attorney
Perjury is one of those charges that can follow someone who had no criminal history whatsoever, no prior arrests, no record. A witness who exaggerated under oath, a defendant who contradicted a prior statement, a deponent who misremembered a date and got caught. The charge can land on anyone who has ever testified in a court proceeding, a deposition, or before a grand jury. If you are under investigation or have already been charged, a Lutz perjury attorney can make the difference between a resolved case and a felony conviction that reshapes your professional and personal life permanently.
What Florida Actually Charges as Perjury and Why Lutz Cases Are Prosecuted in Hillsborough County
Florida law defines perjury as making a false statement under oath in an official proceeding while knowing the statement is false. That sounds straightforward until you look at how broadly the statute actually applies. Depositions, sworn affidavits, administrative hearings, and legislative proceedings all qualify as official proceedings under Florida law. The charge does not require that your false statement influenced the outcome of any case. The act of knowingly making the false statement is itself the crime.
Lutz sits in an interesting geographic position, split between Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Most residents fall within Hillsborough County’s jurisdiction, which means their cases move through the Hillsborough County court system in Tampa. If you live in the Pasco County portion of Lutz, your matter may proceed through that system instead. Omar Abdelghany handles criminal matters throughout the Tampa Bay area and is familiar with how these courts operate in practice, not just on paper.
Under Florida Statute Section 837.02, perjury in an official proceeding is a third-degree felony, carrying up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and a fine of up to five thousand dollars. There is also a separate provision for perjury not in an official proceeding, covering sworn written statements outside of court proceedings, which is charged as a first-degree misdemeanor. The distinction matters enormously when assessing your actual exposure.
The Knowledge Requirement Is Where Most Perjury Defenses Begin
To secure a perjury conviction in Florida, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you knew your statement was false at the time you made it. A mistaken belief, a faulty memory, or a genuine misunderstanding of what was being asked does not satisfy that element. Prosecutors know this, which is why they typically build perjury charges around documentary evidence, prior inconsistent statements, surveillance, or testimony from other witnesses that directly contradicts what you said under oath.
The knowledge requirement creates real space for a defense, but it has to be built carefully. Omar reviews all materials surrounding the statement in question: the context of the original proceeding, what questions were asked, how they were phrased, what documents were in front of you at the time, and whether your answer was literally false or could have been a different interpretation of the question. These distinctions are not technicalities. They go to the heart of whether a crime was actually committed.
There is also the recantation defense available under Florida law. If a person who has made a false statement corrects that statement in the same proceeding, before it becomes manifest that the falsity was about to be discovered, and before it substantially affects the proceeding, they may have a complete defense to the perjury charge. This is a narrow window, but it exists, and knowing whether it applies to your specific situation requires a close reading of the timeline and the procedural posture of the original case.
Perjury During a Criminal Case vs. Civil Litigation
The practical consequences of a perjury charge can look very different depending on where the original false statement was made. Perjury arising out of a criminal case often draws more aggressive prosecution because it is seen as an assault on the integrity of the criminal justice process. Judges and prosecutors take it seriously, and sentencing can reflect that.
Perjury that arises from civil litigation, a deposition in a business dispute, testimony in a divorce proceeding, or sworn statements in a personal injury case, carries the same statutory penalties but is sometimes charged and prosecuted differently in practice. The person who made the statement may have been a party, a witness, or an expert, and that context matters when evaluating how the State will approach the case.
Regardless of the originating proceeding, a felony perjury conviction in Florida will show up on a background check, can affect professional licenses in fields like healthcare, law, finance, and real estate, and can create serious problems for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen. Omar handles federal matters as well, and some perjury cases intersect with federal investigations where the stakes are considerably higher and the resources on the government’s side are more substantial.
Questions Worth Asking About Your Perjury Case
Can I be charged with perjury based on a statement I made in a deposition outside of court?
Yes. Under Florida law, a deposition qualifies as an official proceeding, and a false statement made under oath in a deposition can support a felony perjury charge. The location does not matter. What matters is that you were under oath and the proceeding was official in nature.
What if I was confused by the question and answered incorrectly without intending to lie?
Intent is an essential element of perjury. If you genuinely misunderstood the question and gave an answer that was technically inaccurate but not intentionally false, that goes directly to whether the charge can hold up. An attorney needs to analyze the record of the proceeding carefully to evaluate this defense.
Does it matter whether my false statement affected the case outcome?
Under Florida law, it does not. The perjury statute does not require that your false statement influenced the result of any proceeding. The act of knowingly making a false statement under oath is the offense, regardless of what happened afterward in the underlying case.
I corrected my statement before the proceeding ended. Am I still exposed to perjury charges?
Possibly, but the recantation defense under Florida law may apply. The timing of the correction matters, as does whether the falsity had already become apparent to others. This is something that has to be analyzed specifically against the record of what happened in that proceeding.
Can a perjury charge be reduced or dismissed through negotiation?
Yes. Depending on the circumstances, the strength of the State’s evidence, and the nature of the original proceeding, there may be room to negotiate a reduced charge or alternative disposition. Omar handles every case individually and works to identify the best available path for each client rather than pushing toward a single outcome.
What happens if my perjury charge is connected to an ongoing federal investigation?
Federal perjury charges carry different statutory penalties and are prosecuted by federal prosecutors who often have significantly more investigative resources. Omar is licensed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which covers Tampa and the surrounding area, and handles federal criminal matters directly.
Will a perjury conviction affect my professional license in Florida?
It can. Many Florida licensing boards treat felony convictions as grounds for license suspension, revocation, or denial of renewal. Healthcare workers, attorneys, financial professionals, and contractors are among those who face professional consequences beyond the criminal penalties themselves. Addressing the charge promptly limits the downstream exposure.
Facing a Perjury Investigation in Lutz or the Tampa Bay Area
OA Law Firm concentrates exclusively on criminal defense. Omar Abdelghany handles all matters personally from start to finish, which means when you have a question about your case, you are talking to your attorney, not a paralegal or a junior associate. He returns calls and emails promptly, explains the charges clearly, and keeps clients informed throughout the process.
Perjury is the kind of charge that often gets minimized by people who say “it was just a misunderstanding” or “I can explain what I meant.” Sometimes that explanation holds up in court. Often it does not, at least not without the kind of preparation that turns a vague narrative into a concrete, documented defense. Omar approaches these cases with the same thoroughness he brings to every matter in the firm: reviewing the record, identifying what the State actually has, and building the response from there.
If you are dealing with a Lutz perjury charge or have been told you are under investigation for making a false statement under oath, contact OA Law Firm to schedule a consultation and speak with a Tampa Bay area perjury defense attorney about your situation.
