Litigation Lawyers in West Melbourne

In West Melbourne, Florida, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery process in civil litigation.

Discovery, in West Melbourne, Florida is a very crucial 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.

In West Melbourne, Florida, one way to acquire this information is to find the people involved in the dispute (whether they're witnesses or parties), and ask them questions about the issues you believe them to have knowledge of. A civil deposition is typically a pretty simple process: the person being deposed is sworn in (they are under oath, just as if they were in a courtroom). Because the whole point of a deposition is to get testimony on the record, a stenographer or video technician will also be present, recording the whole deposition. The lawyer then asks questions of the witness, and the lawyers for the other side are able to object to specific lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in West Melbourne, Florida

Depositions are typically conducted in West Melbourne, 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 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.

Civil Depositions in West Melbourne, Florida, can take a very long time to be completed, typically lasting several days, and sometimes going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in West Melbourne, Florida should be prepared for some substantial inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of West Melbourne, 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 give testimony that's advantageous to one side or the other.

If you are being deposed in West Melbourne, Florida 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 West Melbourne, Florida Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a West Melbourne, Florida lawyer. If either party to the lawsuit calls you for a deposition, your lawyer will have plenty of advice for you. You should, of course, follow that advice to the letter.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in West Melbourne, Florida, 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.