Litigation Lawyers in Ellettsville

A civil deposition in Ellettsville, Indiana occurs in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery process.

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

One way to get this information in Ellettsville, Indiana is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Typically, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Ellettsville, Indiana

Depositions are typically conducted in Ellettsville, Indiana 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.

It should not be any surprise, then, that civil depositions in Ellettsville, Indiana can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in Ellettsville, Indiana, this can be a huge headache.

Because of this fact, the law in Ellettsville, Indiana allows witnesses who are appearing for depositions to be compensated for the expense associated with it. This includes reimbursement for gas, lodging, and food. They can also be paid a certain amount of money for every hour they testify, to compensate them for their time. However, this money can only be conditioned on the witness showing up and giving truthful testimony. Trying to condition it on the witness testifying in a specific way ceases to be compensation, and becomes bribery, which is a crime.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Ellettsville, Indiana, 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 Ellettsville, Indiana Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , Indiana 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 an Ellettsville, Indiana 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.