Litigation Lawyers in Sault Ste. Marie

A civil deposition in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan happens in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery procedure.

The discovery procedure in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is one of the most significant parts of the civil litigation process. During the discovery phase, each side of the lawsuit is obligated to make all of the relevant information it has in its possession available to the other side.

In Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, one way to acquire relevant evidence is to ask persons 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 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

If the parties believe that a witness in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, bad health, upcoming military deployment, possible incarceration, or any other reason, a deposition is a very good way to get their testimony on the record before the trial. Additionally, if they have to be questioned for several days, it is a good way to save the court's time.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan civil depositions can go on for a long time - sometimes going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to provide your testimony in a Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To mitigate this, the law of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan typically 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 advantageous to one side or the other.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute requirement 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 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, 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 throughout the deposition.

If you are not directly engaged in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. You likely don't need to hire a lawyer in that case, but it might be a good idea to at least get a consultation from one.