Virginia criminal charge

Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence in Virginia

Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session

Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence is a criminal offense under Virginia law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161. Its classification is not fixed: Virginia assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161.

What is the penalty for penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence in Virginia?

Penalties for Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence
Penalty	Range	Basis	Authority
Jail / prison	1 years to 10 years (False swearing of indigence statement — felony charge — Applies when a person charged with a felony falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(e)))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10
Fine	up to $2,500 (False swearing of indigence statement — felony charge — Applies when a person charged with a felony falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(e))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10
Jail / prison	up to 12 months (False swearing of indigence statement — misdemeanor charge — Applies when a person charged with a jail-punishable misdemeanor falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.)	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11
Fine	up to $2,500 (False swearing of indigence statement — misdemeanor charge — Applies when a person charged with a jail-punishable misdemeanor falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a)))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11

Applies to current.

How is penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence classified in Virginia?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence
Variant	Classification	When it applies	Statute
False swearing of indigence statement — felony charge	Class 5 Felony	Applies when a person charged with a felony falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.	Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161undefined
False swearing of indigence statement — misdemeanor charge	Class 1 Misdemeanor	Applies when a person charged with a jail-punishable misdemeanor falsely swears or knowingly executes a false indigence statement.	Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161undefined

Common questions about penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence in Virginia

Is penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161.

False swearing of indigence statement — felony charge: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161) · False swearing of indigence statement — misdemeanor charge: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161)

What are the penalties for penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence in Virginia?

Penalties for penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence in Virginia depend on how it is classified — from a class 1 misdemeanor up to a class 5 felony — with the ranges set by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 and Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Virginia statute covers penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence?

Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-161 (Penalty for false swearing with regard to statement of indigence).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.