Dishonesty toward the tribunal is a violation of the rules of professional responsibility/conduct (model rules 3.3 and 8.4(d), the latter is what they disbarred

Dishonesty toward the tribunal is a violation of the rules of professional responsibility/conduct (model rules 3.3 and 8.4(d), the latter is what they disbarred Clinton for). Federal courts have rule 11, where an attorney can essentially call out the opposing counsel after some cure period and ask the court to impose sanctions on the attorney that's getting out of line. State courts have some equivalent. In practice, most lawyers don't lie to the court because their career is dependent on maintaining a working relationship with the courts in which they appear. Even within the same case, if the presiding judge has good reason to believe you're a liar, every subsequent motion or argument you make is going to be viewed with skepticism.