Litigation Lawyers in Shenandoah

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

The discovery procedure in Shenandoah, 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.

In Shenandoah, Iowa, one way to receive 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 normally 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 particular lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Shenandoah, Iowa

In Shenandoah, Iowa, 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. Furthermore, 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.

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

To mitigate this, the law of Shenandoah, 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.

When giving a deposition in Shenandoah, Iowa, be sure to answer all of the questions honestly, and to the absolute best of your knowledge. You will be sworn in before the deposition starts, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. Therefore, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Shenandoah, Iowa Lawyer Help?

If you are directly immersed in a lawsuit in Shenandoah, Iowa, 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 directly immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Shenandoah, Iowa. 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.