Litigation Lawyers in Ridgecrest

In Ridgecrest, California, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery process in civil litigation.

In Ridgecrest, California, "discovery" is a time-consuming procedure that occurs before a case goes to trial. In the process, each side of the lawsuit is legally required to disclose all of the relevant information they have in their possession to the other side.

One way to acquire this information in Ridgecrest, California 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. Normally, 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 Ridgecrest, California

In Ridgecrest, California, the main reason to conduct a deposition, as opposed to having someone testify in court, is to save time. After days of depositions, the jury can be presented with just the relevant testimony, if the case goes to trial. Furthermore, it's a good idea to conduct a deposition if there's any reason to believe that the witness will not be able to show up to court to testify, due to poor health, or any other reason.

Ridgecrest, California civil depositions can go on for a long time - occasionally going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to give your testimony in a Ridgecrest, California civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

Therefore, Ridgecrest, California's civil procedure rules authorize a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is sometimes the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience associated with testifying.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Ridgecrest, California, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute obligation 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 Ridgecrest, California Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , California attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.

If you are not directly immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Ridgecrest, California. You probably don't need to hire a lawyer in that case, but it might be a good idea to at least get a consultation from one.