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Evidence Act 2006

Evidence from overseas or to be used overseas - Evidence for use in civil proceedings overseas and evidence for use in civil proceedings in High Court - Offences

189: False statements

You could also call this:

"Telling lies when giving evidence is against the law"

Illustration for Evidence Act 2006

If you are required to give evidence, either by talking or in writing, and you are not under oath, you must tell the truth. You commit an offence if you make a statement that you know is false in an important way, or if you make a statement that is false in an important way and you do not believe it to be true, as stated in section 185(1). If you commit this offence, you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years if you are found guilty.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM394503.

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190: Interpretation, or

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Part 4Evidence from overseas or to be used overseas
Evidence for use in civil proceedings overseas and evidence for use in civil proceedings in High Court: Offences

189False statements

  1. Every person commits an offence who, being required under section 185(1) to give evidence (either orally or in writing) otherwise than on oath, makes a statement—

  2. that he or she knows to be false in a material particular; or
    1. that is false in a material particular and that he or she does not believe to be true.

      1. Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years.

      Notes
      • Section 189(1): amended, on , by section 10(1) of the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act 2010 (2010 No 108).
      • Section 189(2): amended, on , by section 5 of the Evidence Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 89).