Litigation Lawyers in Georgetown

Depositions are part of the discovery procedure in Georgetown, Texas civil litigation.

The discovery procedure in Georgetown, Texas is one of the most significant parts of the civil litigation process. During the discovery phase, each side of the lawsuit is obligated to make all of the relevant information it has in its possession available to the other side.

In Georgetown, Texas, one way to acquire relevant evidence is to ask persons involved in the dispute (both parties and witnesses) about their knowledge of the matter. This is done through a civil deposition. It is essentially a question and answer session between a lawyer, and a witness or party to the action. A lawyer for the other side is present, as well as a court reporter or videographer. The lawyer asks questions of the person being deposed, who must answer them under oath.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Georgetown, Texas

In Georgetown, Texas, 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.

Georgetown, Texas 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 Georgetown, Texas civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Georgetown, Texas permits 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 significant problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

If you are being deposed in Georgetown, Texas you absolutely must answer all the questions truthfully and completely, to the best of your knowledge. You are under oath, and if you lie, and are caught, you could be prosecuted with perjury, which can carry jail time.

How Can A Georgetown, Texas Lawyer Help?

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

If you are not directly engaged in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Georgetown, Texas. You likely 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.