| Minnesota Criminal Justice Statute Service | Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

609.48

Statute ID: 1151

Perjury

In Effect

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Details are only available for Penalty and Charging Statutes.

Statute Number:

609.48

Enactment Date:

Jan 1, 1859

Effective Date:

Jan 1, 1859

Expiration Date:

Repealed?:

Summary Text:

Perjury

Statute ID:

1151

Created:

Sep 1, 2006 by mnjis.legal.analyst@state.mn.us

Updated:

Sep 1, 2006 by mnjis.legal.analyst@state.mn.us

Last Update Action:

System

Legal Analyst Comment:

Summary Text:

Perjury

Link to MN Statute Text:

https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/609/48.html

Legislative Session:

2005 - NA

Session Law Text?:

Statute text last updated on:

Aug 6, 2025

Subd. 2.
It is not a defense to a violation of this section that:
(1) the oath or affirmation was taken or administered in an irregular manner; or
(2) the declarant was not competent to give the statement; or
(3) the declarant did not know that the statement was material or believed it to be immaterial; 
or
(4) the statement was not used or, if used, did not affect the proceeding for which it was made; or
(5) the statement was inadmissible under the law of evidence.


Subd. 3.
When the declarant has made two inconsistent statements under such circumstances that one or the other must be false and not believed by the declarant when made, it shall be sufficient for conviction under this section to charge and the jury to find that, without determining which, one or the other of such statements was false and not believed by the declarant. The period of limitations for prosecution under this subdivision runs from the first such statement.


Subd. 4.
Whoever violates this section may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if the false statement was made upon the trial of a felony charge, or upon an application for an explosives license or use permit, to imprisonment for not more than seven years or to payment of a fine of not more than $14,000, or both; or
(2) in all other cases, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.


Subd. 5.
A violation of subdivision 1, clause (4), may be prosecuted in the county where the statement, under penalty of perjury, was signed, or the county of the district court in which the statement was filed.