Court oath proposal
(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, June 15. The religious oath in British courts should be abolished, and be replaced by a simple pledge to tell the truth, a group of lawyers have recommended. They suggest words along these lines: “I solemnly declare and promise that I will tell the truth. I am aware that if I tell a lie, or wilfully mislead the Court. I am liable to be prosecuted.” This would replace the present oath on which a witness swears by Almighty God to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The recommendation is made by Justice, the British branch of the International Commission of Jurists. One of its objections to the present oath is that the rules of evidence might often debar a witness from telling the whole truth as known to him. Justice’s report also recommends stricter prosecution of nerjurers. and a change in the law to allow people who have suffered damage from perjury to claim compensation from the offender.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33253, 16 June 1973, Page 15
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166Court oath proposal Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33253, 16 June 1973, Page 15
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