Bronston v. United States

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Bronston v. United States (1973)

Syllabus

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Bronston v. United States, 409 U.S. 352 (1973), is a seminal United States Supreme Court decision strictly construing the federal perjury statute. Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote for a unanimous Court that responses to questions made under oath that relayed truthful information in and of themselves but were intended to mislead or evade the examiner could not be prosecuted. Instead, the criminal-justice system had to rely on more carefully worded follow-up questions.

The decision has been cited in many cases since then and has become the controlling legal standard of perjury in federal jurisprudence. It was invoked during Bill Clinton's impeachment proceedings in 1998 as a defense to charges of perjury against him.

4695242Bronston v. United States — Syllabus1973

Court Documents

Opinion of the Court

Supreme Court of the United States

409 U.S. 352

Bronston v. United States

Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

No. 71-1011. Argued: November 15, 1972 --- Decided: January 10, 1973

Federal perjury statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1621, does not reach a witness' answer that is literally true, but unresponsive, even assuming the witness intends to mislead his questioner by the answer, and even assuming the answer is arguably "false by negative implication." A perjury prosecution is not, in our adversary system, the primary safeguard against errant testimony; given the incongruity of an unresponsive answer, it is the questioner's burden to frame his interrogation acutely to elicit the precise information he seeks. Pp. 357-362.

453 F.2d 555, reversed.

BURGER, C.J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.

Sheldon H. Elsen argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs were Lewis Shapiro and John S. Martin, Jr.

Andrew L. Frey argued the cause for the United States. With him on the brief were Solicitor General Griswold, Assistant Attorney General Petersen, Beatrice Rosenberg, and Marshall Tamor Golding.