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Commentary on Judgment No. 14917 of 2023: Material Falsity and False Declarations in Public Acts

The recent judgment No. 14917 of February 15, 2023, issued by the Court of Cassation, addresses a topic of great relevance in the field of criminal law: the concurrence of crimes between material falsity and false declarations in public acts. This ruling offers important insights into the protection of the truthfulness of information presented to the judiciary and the proper functioning of the legal system.

The specific case and its implications

In the case at hand, the defendant, F. G., already subjected to house arrest, had produced a false medical certificate to request permission to go to a medical facility. The Court found that there exists a material concurrence of crimes, rather than a relationship of specialty, between the crime of material falsity committed in a public act and that of false declarations.

  • Material falsity occurs when an act is presented that appears authentic but is not.
  • False declarations, on the other hand, are ideological acts that compromise the integrity of the legal process.
  • The proper functioning of justice is protected by strict laws that sanction such behaviors.
Public act formed by a private individual - False declarations or attestations in acts intended for the judiciary - Material concurrence of crimes - Existence - Case. There exists a material concurrence of crimes, and not a relationship of specialty, between the crime of material falsity committed by a private individual in a public act and that of false declarations or attestations in acts intended for the judiciary, as the former makes it appear that an act has come into existence which, in reality, has never been formed, while the latter, aimed at safeguarding the proper functioning of justice, translates into an ideological falsehood committed by a private individual. (In this case, the Court deemed the conviction for both types of offenses against the defendant, who, under house arrest, after having produced a false medical certificate, requested the supervising magistrate to be authorized to go, free in person, to a medical facility to undergo the therapeutic treatments indicated in the attached certificate, to be correct).

Reflections on the protection of justice

This ruling emphasizes the importance of truth in legal proceedings. The production of false documentation not only undermines trust in institutions but can also compromise the outcomes of criminal and civil proceedings. The Court reiterated that truth is a fundamental value to be preserved, and the use of false acts to gain personal advantages is behavior that must be severely sanctioned.

Conclusions

In conclusion, judgment No. 14917 of 2023 represents an important step forward in the fight against falsity in the legal field. It clarifies that the concurrence of crimes is a concrete reality and that justice must always be protected through preventive and punitive measures. It is essential that all legal practitioners, both lawyers and judges, are aware of the seriousness of such conduct and promote a culture of truth and correctness.