Witnesses in Court

A man is bound to give evidence either when his duty asa citizen requires it, or when his evidence may prevent a seriousmiscarriage of justice. A man is not bound to come forward freely with evidence when his silence would do no harm to the common good.

The tested evidence of two or three witnesses is enough to enable the judge to pronounce sentence.

Sometimes evidence is rejected without indicating an actual fault in the witness. Extraneous reasons may detract fromthe value of the evidence, or render it suspect, and so cause it tobe discredited.

To give false evidence is to commit grave sin. For thisis perjury, which is the telling of a lie when under oath. Perjury is directly opposed to justice, and comes into flat conflict with the Eighth Commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Even when the evidence asa lie is only a slight matter of venial sin, as testimony falsely sworn to, it is a serious sin.