Litigation Lawyers in Ludlow

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

Discovery, in Ludlow, 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 Ludlow, Massachusetts, one way to obtain relevant evidence is to ask people 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 Ludlow, Massachusetts

Depositions in Ludlow, Massachusetts serve a very significant purpose: obtaining testimony on the record, and admitted as evidence, when there is some reason to suspect that the witness won't be able to appear in court during trial, because of health, possible incarceration, or any other reason.

It should not be any shock, then, that civil depositions in Ludlow, Massachusetts can go on for a very long time. If you are contacted to appear in a deposition in Ludlow, Massachusetts, this can be a major headache.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Ludlow, Massachusetts 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 significant problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

In Ludlow, Massachusetts 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 extremely steep fines.

How Can A Ludlow, Massachusetts Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Ludlow, Massachusetts 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 Ludlow, 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.