FOCL Practice Test

What crime has Matt committed due to his fabricated informant in the affidavit?

1. Fraud

2. Perjury

3. Obstruction of justice

4. False reporting

The correct answer is: Perjury

The crime that Matt has committed by fabricating an informant in the affidavit is perjury. Perjury involves making false statements under oath or affirmation, particularly in a legal context. Since Matt created a fictitious informant, he has knowingly lied in a legal document, which directly constitutes perjury. This action undermines the integrity of the judicial process and can lead to significant legal consequences. Perjury is taken very seriously because it can compromise the fairness of trials and investigations. The other options, while related to dishonesty in a legal setting, do not fully capture the specific nature of the offense in this scenario. Fraud generally refers to wrongful or criminal deception for personal gain, while obstruction of justice is focused on interfering with the legal process itself. False reporting typically pertains to the act of reporting a crime that did not occur or presenting misleading information to law enforcement, but in this case, the critical aspect is the false statement made in the affidavit, thereby solidifying perjury as the most accurate designation of Matt's crime.