California legal term
false evidence in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “false evidence” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “false evidence” mean in California criminal law?
“false evidence” includes opinions of experts that have either been repudiated by the expert who originally provided the opinion at a hearing or trial or that have been undermined by the state of scientific knowledge or later scientific research or technological advances. (Cal. Penal Code § 1473)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.