Litigation Lawyers in Glen Carbon

A civil deposition in Glen Carbon, Illinois occurs in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery process.

In Glen Carbon, Illinois, "discovery" is a process that occurs before a civil trial, during which both sides are required to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

In Glen Carbon, Illinois, 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 usually 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 certain lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Glen Carbon, Illinois

In Glen Carbon, Illinois, 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. Also, 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 poor health, or any other reason.

So, it shouldn't be shocking that civil depositions in Glen Carbon, Illinois can usually go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , Illinois, you are usually obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

Therefore, Glen Carbon, Illinois's civil procedure rules allow a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is sometimes the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience associated with testifying.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Glen Carbon, Illinois, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute obligation 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 Glen Carbon, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , Illinois attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.

If you're not a party to the case, but have relevant information, you might be subpoenaed to appear in a deposition. In this case, you probably don't need to hire a Glen Carbon, Illinois litigation attorney, but it would not be a bad idea to seek out a brief consultation with one, to get an idea of what to expect.