Litigation Lawyers in Westport

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

Discovery, in Westport, 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 Westport, 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 Westport, Massachusetts

Depositions are usually conducted in Westport, 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.

Westport, Massachusetts civil depositions can go on for a long time - occasionally going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to give your testimony in a Westport, Massachusetts civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

Therefore, Westport, Massachusetts's civil procedure rules allow a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is sometimes the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience associated with testifying.

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

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Westport, 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 Westport, 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.