Litigation Lawyers in Hopkinsville

A civil deposition in Hopkinsville, Kentucky occurs in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery process.

In Hopkinsville, Kentucky, "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 get this information in Hopkinsville, Kentucky 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 Hopkinsville, Kentucky

In Hopkinsville, Kentucky, 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. Also, 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.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that civil depositions in Hopkinsville, Kentucky can often go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , Kentucky, you are usually obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Hopkinsville, Kentucky allows witnesses who are appearing in depositions to be paid a set amount of money for their time, and reimbursed for travel expenses. However, if there is any evidence that this money is being used to influence a witness' testimony, there is going to be a serious problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

When giving a deposition in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, be sure to answer all of the questions honestly, and to the absolute best of your knowledge. You will be sworn in before the deposition begins, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. So, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Hopkinsville, Kentucky Lawyer Help?

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

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.