The law considers signing an affidavit equivalent to testifying under oath. This means knowingly including false information when signing one of these documents is an act of perjury. The penalty for perjury varies from state to state but could include fines, community service, or jail time.
The affiant must take the oath highlighted in the affidavit voluntarily. If the court discovers evidence that the affiant signed unwillingly, under pressure, or coercion, they may consider the oath invalid and the affidavit inadmissible in court proceedings.
To fill out the Request for Waiver of Prosecution form, provide your personal information, state the reasons for your request, and get the form notarized. Make sure to include all required information and sign the form before submitting it.
If the alleged victim wishes to drop the charges and sign an affidavit of non-prosecution, the best practice is to have the victim represented by her own attorney or to have the defendant's attorney (or their investigator) assist with preparing the affidavit.
Consequences of Signing an Affidavit Since you are signing a document under oath, it is the same as testifying in a court of law. If you provide information that is false or lie on the affidavit, you could be fined for perjury. Penalties could include monetary fines, community service, and even jail time.
Signing a document with false statements can lead to charges of perjury. Affiant is of sound mind. When you sign an affidavit, you are saying the information provided is true to the best of your personal knowledge. Therefore, the person signing needs to have the mental capacity to understand what they are signing.
Although affidavits are considered legal documents, anyone can draft one. As long as it is signed, witnessed, and notarized correctly, the affidavit will be valid. This means that you do not need to ask a lawyer to create an affidavit.
In some cases, affidavits can be used as admissible evidence. However, affidavits are usually used in courts or legal proceedings as additional evidence in conjunction with witness statements.
In Texas, you may use a general affidavit form to compile your statement so long as you include the details pertinent to the reason you need an affidavit. You must also have the document notarized.
Impact on Criminal Cases Prosecutors assess the affidavit alongside case details, evaluating factors such as evidence strength, severity of charges, and public interest. For example, in cases with substantial evidence, prosecutors might still pursue charges despite the victim's withdrawal.