Litigation Lawyers in Poplar Grove

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

In Poplar Grove, 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 Poplar Grove, 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 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 Poplar Grove, Illinois

Depositions are normally conducted in Poplar Grove, 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.

Civil Depositions in Poplar Grove, Illinois, can take a very long time to be completed, normally lasting several days, and sometimes going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in Poplar Grove, Illinois should be prepared for some considerable inconvenience.

To help deal with this fact, Poplar Grove, 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 beneficial to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

If you are called to a deposition in Poplar Grove, Illinois, it's absolutely necessary that you answer all the questions truthfully, to the best of your knowledge. When testifying in a deposition, you are under oath, just as you would be in open court. Deliberately lying in a deposition is perjury, which is a serious crime.

How Can A Poplar Grove, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Poplar Grove, Illinois 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 Poplar Grove, Illinois, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.