Legal Definitions - test oath

A test oath is a type of oath of allegiance that requires a person to promise loyalty to a particular government or sovereign. It is often administered to high public officials, soldiers, sailors, or aliens applying for naturalization.

For example, during the American Civil War, some states required individuals to take a test oath pledging loyalty to the Union before being allowed to vote or hold public office. This was done to prevent Confederate sympathizers from gaining power.

The test oath is a solemn declaration that one's statement is true or that one will be bound to a promise. The person making the oath implicitly invites punishment if the statement is untrue or the promise is broken. The legal effect of an oath is to subject the person to penalties for perjury if the testimony is false.