Litigation Lawyers in Magnolia

In Magnolia, Arkansas, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery procedure in civil litigation.

"Discovery" is a procedure that happens before a trial in Magnolia, Arkansas. During the discovery process, both sides are obligated to make relevant information available to each other.

One way to obtain this information in Magnolia, Arkansas is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Usually, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Magnolia, Arkansas

Depositions are usually conducted in Magnolia, Arkansas if a person's testimony will take several days, or more, to deliver. By doing this before a trial, the jury can be presented just with the testimony that turns out to be relevant, saving everyone a good deal of time. It is also useful if there is any reason to suspect that the witness will be unable to show up in court.

Magnolia, Arkansas civil depositions can go on for a long time - sometimes going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to provide your testimony in a Magnolia, Arkansas civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help deal with this fact, Magnolia, Arkansas permits witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's favorable to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Magnolia, Arkansas, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute requirement to tell the truth. If you deliberately lie while under oath, you are committing perjury. Perjury is a serious crime, and can be punished by fines and imprisonment.

How Can A Magnolia, Arkansas Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to a Magnolia, Arkansas lawsuit and are obligated to appear at a deposition, one would hope that you've already retained a lawyer by this stage in the proceedings. Your attorney will have a lot of advice for you, which you should of course follow.

If, on the other hand, you're not directly involved in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Magnolia, Arkansas, you may not need to hire a lawyer. The lawyers for both sides will probably prep you for the deposition, giving you an idea of what to expect.