§ 2J1.3.
Perjury or Subornation of Perjury; Bribery of Witness
(a) Base Offense Level: 14
(b) Specific Offense Characteristic
(1) If the perjury, subornation of perjury, or witness bribery resulted in substantial interference with the administration of justice, increase by 3 levels.
(c) Cross Reference
(1) If the offense involved perjury, subornation of perjury, or witness bribery in respect to a criminal offense, apply §2X3.1 (Accessory After the Fact) in respect to that criminal offense, if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.
(d) Special Instruction
(1) In the case of counts of perjury or subornation of perjury arising from testimony given, or to be given, in separate proceedings, apply subsection (b) of §3D1.1 (Procedure for Determining Offense Level on Multiple Counts) to the counts.
Historical note
Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (amendment 175); November 1, 1991 (amendments 401 and 402); November 1, 1993 (amendment 481); November 1, 2003 (amendment 653); November 1, 2011 (amendment 758); November 1, 2013 (amendment 777); November 1, 2025 (amendment 836); November 1, 2026 (amendments 837 and 840).
Commentary
Statutory provisions
Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 201(b)(3), (4), 1621–1623. For additional statutory provision(s), see Appendix A (Statutory Index).
Application Notes:
1. “Substantial interference with the administration of justice” includes a premature or improper termination of a felony investigation; an indictment, verdict, or any judicial determination based upon perjury, false testimony, or other false evidence; or the unnecessary expenditure of substantial governmental or court resources.
2. For offenses covered under this section, §3C1.1 (Obstructing or Impeding the Administration of Justice) does not apply, unless the defendant obstructed the investigation or trial of the perjury count.
3. “Separate proceedings,” as used in subsection (d)(1), includes different proceedings in the same case or matter (e.g., a grand jury proceeding and a trial, or a trial and retrial), and proceedings in separate cases or matters (e.g., separate trials of codefendants), but does not include multiple grand jury proceedings in the same case.
Background
Background: This section applies to perjury, subornation of perjury, and witness bribery, generally prosecuted under the referenced statutes. The guidelines provide a higher penalty for perjury than the pre-guidelines practice estimate of ten months imprisonment. The Commission believes that perjury should be treated similarly to obstruction of justice. Therefore, the same considerations for enhancing a sentence are applied in the specific offense characteristics, and an alternative reference to the guideline for accessory after the fact is made.