Litigation Lawyers in South Hadley

A civil deposition in South Hadley, Massachusetts occurs in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery process.

Discovery, in South Hadley, Massachusetts is a very important 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 South Hadley, 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 South Hadley, Massachusetts

Depositions are usually conducted in South Hadley, Massachusetts 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 South Hadley, Massachusetts can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in South Hadley, Massachusetts, this can be a major headache.

Because of this fact, the law in South Hadley, Massachusetts 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 certain way ceases to be compensation, and becomes bribery, which is a crime.

Remember, when you give a deposition in South Hadley, Massachusetts, 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 South Hadley, Massachusetts Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and have to appear at a deposition, you should already be represented by a lawyer. It goes without saying that you should do whatever they advise you to do during the deposition.

If, on the other hand, you're not directly involved in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in South Hadley, Massachusetts, you may not need to hire a lawyer. The lawyers for both sides will probably prep you for the deposition, giving you an idea of what to expect.