Art. 776 Oath of witness

Every witness must take an oath before they can testify in court. This means that before someone gives evidence in a criminal case, they have to swear or affirm that they will tell the truth.

This oath happens for a reason. It puts the witness on legal notice that lying under oath is a crime called perjury. It also assures the judge, jury, and both sides in the case that the testimony is being given under a formal promise of honesty.

The specific way the oath is given follows the process laid out in Article 14 of the same code. This keeps the process consistent across different courts and cases, so every witness goes through the same basic step before they can speak on the record.