Will s/he be incarcerated for perjury?

Question

So a writer writes a book and gets it published. Months later, a person from his/her past drags him/her to court, claiming, "That was my idea, you plagiarized MY book!", a book that, to the writer's knowledge, was never written. The writer uses his/her Fifth Amendment right, but also contemplates asking for an attorney. Since the writer isn't saying anything, is there a way s/he would still be incarcerated somehow?

Answer 1

I don't get it! Where does perjury come in? If the writer doesn't say anything, how can she perjur herself? There is always a chance for incarceration but there also must be a reason -- contempt of court, guilt, etc. Writer should keep all notes from the very beginning. All drafts of chapters, etc. Consult an attorney usually a good idea, especially if you've been published.

Have an investigator or your attorney get the proof from the accuser. Where is their draft? Where is their information?

Answer 2

I don't think so. You can't copyright ideas, only something that is in writing.

A wise man once said that there are no original plots because they have all been written. The only thing that changes is the variations in the characters and the environment that they are dealing with.

Answer 3

This is a civil suit. Nobody goes to jail.