OB REVERENTIAM PERSONAE ET METUM PERJURII

ob reverentiam personae et metum perjurii (ob rev-<<schwa>>-ren-shee-<<schwa>>m p<<schwa>>r-soh-nee et mee-t<<schwa>>m p<<schwa>>r-juur-ee-I). [Law Latin] Hist. On account of reverence to the person and the fear of perjury. • On this basis, certain witnesses could be excluded or could decline to answer certain questions that might cause them to commit perjury rather than admit to some act. This principle is essentially the forerunner to the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. See METUS PERJURII.

[Blacks Law 8th]