Civil Depositions in Santa Cruz, California

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Litigation Lawyers in Santa Cruz

In Santa Cruz, California, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery procedure in civil litigation.

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

One way to obtain this information in Santa Cruz, 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. Typically, 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 Santa Cruz, California

In Santa Cruz, 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. Additionally, 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 bad health, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Santa Cruz, California can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Santa Cruz, California, it can prove to be a substantial inconvenience.

Thus, Santa Cruz, California's civil procedure rules permit 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 occasionally 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 linked with testifying.

If you are called to a deposition in Santa Cruz, California, it's absolutely imperative that you answer all the questions truthfully, to the best of your knowledge. When testifying in a deposition, you are under oath, just as you would be in open court. Deliberately lying in a deposition is perjury, which is a serious crime.

How Can A Santa Cruz, California Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Santa Cruz, California, and have to appear at a deposition, you should already be represented by a lawyer. It goes without saying that you should do whatever they advise you to do throughout the deposition.

If, on the other hand, you're not directly engaged in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Santa Cruz, California, 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.

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Life in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California is the largest city in, and county seat of, Santa Cruz County. It has a population of about 60,000 people.

Santa Cruz was the location of a Spanish settlement that was established in 1791. Beginning in the mid-20th century, and continuing to this day, Santa Cruz has long been a center of liberal and progressive social activism. In 1992, Santa Cruz, California became one of the first cities in the United States to legalize medical marijuana. The presence of the University of California, Santa Cruz adds to this culture of activism. It is also the largest employer in Santa Cruz, with about 7,000 workers.

UC Santa Cruz does not have a law school, but many of its graduates go on to attend other California law schools, and become successful Santa Cruz, California lawyers.

If you are a resident of Santa Cruz, and are in need of legal help, you can almost certainly find a Santa Cruz, California attorney who can assist you.

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