Litigation Lawyers in Council Bluffs

In Council Bluffs, Iowa, a civil deposition is a part of the discovery procedure in civil litigation.

The discovery procedure in Council Bluffs, Iowa 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.

One way to get this information in Council Bluffs, Iowa 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 Council Bluffs, Iowa

Depositions in Council Bluffs, Iowa serve a very significant purpose: obtaining testimony on the record, and admitted as evidence, when there is some reason to suspect that the witness won't be able to appear in court during trial, because of health, possible incarceration, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Council Bluffs, Iowa can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Council Bluffs, Iowa, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Council Bluffs, Iowa normally 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 beneficial to one side or the other.

In Council Bluffs, Iowa depositions, everyone being deposed is under oath. This means that you are legally and morally obligated to answer every question truthfully. If you deliberately misrepresent your knowledge (lie), you are guilty of perjury. And if you're caught, you could end up facing jail time and/or some extremely steep fines.

How Can A Council Bluffs, Iowa Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Council Bluffs, Iowa 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 Council Bluffs, Iowa, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be contacted to appear in a deposition. In that case, you likely don't need to hire a lawyer.