Swearing on the bible/equivalent in court

[NiceCupOfTea]

Do people still have to swear on the Bible in court? Or Koran or other maybe depending on their religion?

If so, why?

It seems pretty pointless these days, as a lot of people just don't have the same fear of religion that seemed to permeate society back in the old days. Especially those who steal from places of worship such as those mentioned on another part of this site.

[dannydingbat]

Doesn't matter what you swear on, if you aren't afraid of religion, you should be afraid of the perjury charge if you lie

[Eve]

When i do swears for people it's always done on the bible but I always impress that it's a criminal offence to swear a false stat dec etc... which seems to have more effect these days.

[Ethel]

You don't have to swear on any holy book - you can make an affirmation to tell the truth.

I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully try the defendant and give a true verdict according to the evidence

[Eve]

You might find this of interest too...

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Law/Question329 730.html

[NiceCupOfTea]

cheers for your answers all. Jenna - that didn't come up on my search (or I didn't see it, anyway) or I probably wouldn't have asked this question!

[norlo]

The English legal system finds its roots in the common, (or made), law.

Since Henry VII created the Church of England and parted from Rome, the Church of England has been the State Religion.

Law, and Church then, have common denominators in The Crown, and hence the requirment to swear an oath has historical roots as a device of state, and to lie under oath was actually technically treasonable.

It may have no modern standing, but remains constitutionally correct.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hi norlo. I wasn't arguing that swearing an oath shouldn't happen now. I just felt that swearing it on the Bible didn't send the same tremors into people's souls that it used to so that people may be more likely to lie under oath if it was done on religious grounds.

I hadn't realised that the oath could be amended so the Bible wasn't in it.