Litigation Lawyers in Mount Zion

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

In Mount Zion, 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 Mount Zion, 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 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 Mount Zion, Illinois

Depositions are typically conducted in Mount Zion, Illinois 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.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that civil depositions in Mount Zion, Illinois can often go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , Illinois, you are typically obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

To help deal with this fact, Mount Zion, Illinois allows witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's advantageous to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

When giving a deposition in Mount Zion, Illinois, 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 begins, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. Thus, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Mount Zion, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to a Mount Zion, Illinois lawsuit and are required to appear at a deposition, one would hope that you've already retained a lawyer by this stage in the proceedings. Your attorney will have a lot of advice for you, which you should of course follow.

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 Mount Zion, 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.