Litigation Lawyers in Fort Pierce

In Fort Pierce, Florida, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery procedure in civil litigation.

Discovery, in Fort Pierce, Florida is a very essential step in the civil litigation process. It is when all of the relevant evidence is gathered by both sides, and, generally, each side must disclose that evidence to the other.

One way to acquire this information in Fort Pierce, Florida is to simply sit down with someone involved in the dispute, or with knowledge of some of the issues, and ask them questions. This can be done through a civil deposition, which is basically a Q&A session between a lawyer, and the person being deposed. A lawyer for the other side will also be present. The person being deposed is answering their questions under oath, just as if they were testifying in court. Because of this, it's important to get their statements on the record. For that purpose, a court reporter or videographer will be present.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Fort Pierce, Florida

Depositions are typically conducted in Fort Pierce, Florida 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 everyone 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.

Fort Pierce, Florida 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 Fort Pierce, Florida civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To mitigate this, the law of Fort Pierce, Florida 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 provide testimony that's advantageous to one side or the other.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Fort Pierce, Florida, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute requirement 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 Fort Pierce, Florida Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Fort Pierce, Florida, 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 you are not a party to the lawsuit, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least contact with a Fort Pierce, Florida attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.