Litigation Lawyers in East Bridgewater

A civil deposition in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts happens in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery procedure.

Discovery, in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts is a very critical step in the civil litigation process. It is when all of the relevant evidence is gathered by both sides, and, generally, each side must disclose that evidence to the other.

In East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, one way to get relevant evidence is to ask individuals involved in the dispute (both parties and witnesses) about their knowledge of the matter. This is done through a civil deposition. It is essentially a question and answer session between a lawyer, and a witness or party to the action. A lawyer for the other side is present, as well as a court reporter or videographer. The lawyer asks questions of the person being deposed, who must answer them under oath.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts

In East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 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. Furthermore, 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 bad health, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts normally entitles people being deposed to reimbursement. They can be compensated for travel expenses, lodging, and a can be given a small amount of money simply for their time. However, this is meant to be reimbursement for the time and expense incurred in attending a deposition, and it is most definitely not payment for the witness to provide testimony that's beneficial to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 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 starts, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. Therefore, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A East Bridgewater, Massachusetts Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to an East Bridgewater, Massachusetts lawsuit and are obligated 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 a lawsuit in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be contacted to appear in a deposition. In that case, you likely don't need to hire a lawyer.