Litigation Lawyers in Jonesboro

In Jonesboro, Arkansas, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery process in civil litigation.

"Discovery" is a process that occurs before a trial in Jonesboro, Arkansas. During the discovery process, both sides are required to make relevant information available to each other.

One way to acquire this information in Jonesboro, 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. 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 Jonesboro, Arkansas

Depositions are typically conducted in Jonesboro, 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 everybody 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.

Jonesboro, Arkansas 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 Jonesboro, Arkansas civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To mitigate this, the law of Jonesboro, Arkansas typically entitles people being deposed to reimbursement. They can be compensated for travel expenses, lodging, and a can be given a small amount of money simply for their time. However, this is meant to be reimbursement for the time and expense incurred in attending a deposition, and it is most definitely not payment for the witness to give testimony that's advantageous to one side or the other.

If you are being deposed in Jonesboro, Arkansas 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 charged with perjury, which can carry jail time.

How Can A Jonesboro, Arkansas Lawyer Help?

If you are the defendant or plaintiff in a lawsuit, chances are good that you'll have to appear in a deposition. You should, by this point, already be represented by a Jonesboro, Arkansas civil litigation attorney. You should do whatever they tell you to do (unless, of course, they tell you to lie, in which case you should find a new lawyer).

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 Jonesboro, 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.