Litigation Lawyers in Lake Elmo

A civil deposition in Lake Elmo, Minnesota happens in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery procedure.

The discovery procedure in Lake Elmo, Minnesota 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 Lake Elmo, Minnesota, one way to receive this information is to find the people involved in the dispute (whether they're witnesses or parties), and ask them questions about the issues you believe them to have knowledge of. A civil deposition is typically a pretty simple process: the person being deposed is sworn in (they are under oath, just as if they were in a courtroom). Because the whole point of a deposition is to get testimony on the record, a stenographer or video technician will also be present, recording the whole deposition. The lawyer then asks questions of the witness, and the lawyers for the other side are able to object to specific lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Lake Elmo, Minnesota

If the parties believe that a witness in Lake Elmo, Minnesota 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.

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

To mitigate this, the law of Lake Elmo, Minnesota 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.

When giving a deposition in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, 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. Thus, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Lake Elmo, Minnesota Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, 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 Lake Elmo, Minnesota. 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.