Litigation Lawyers in Granite City

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

In Granite City, 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 Granite City, Illinois, one way to get 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 Granite City, Illinois

In Granite City, 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 surprising that civil depositions in Granite City, Illinois can often 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.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Granite City, Illinois allows witnesses who are appearing in depositions to be paid a set amount of money for their time, and reimbursed for travel expenses. However, if there is any evidence that this money is being used to influence a witness' testimony, there is going to be a serious problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

In Granite City, Illinois 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 very steep fines.

How Can A Granite City, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Granite City, Illinois, 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 during the deposition.

If you are not a party to the case, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least consult with a Granite City, Illinois attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.