Litigation Lawyers in Chillicothe
A civil deposition in Chillicothe, Missouri occurs in many civil litigation cases, as part of the discovery process.
The discovery process in Chillicothe, Missouri is one of the most important parts of the civil litigation process. During the discovery phase, each side of the lawsuit is required to make all of the relevant information it has in its possession available to the other side.
One way to acquire this information in Chillicothe, Missouri is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Normally, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.
Conducting A Civil Deposition in Chillicothe, Missouri
Depositions in Chillicothe, Missouri serve a very important purpose: acquiring 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, potential incarceration, or any other reason.
It should not be any surprise, then, that civil depositions in Chillicothe, Missouri can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in Chillicothe, Missouri, this can be a massive headache.
To mitigate this, the law of Chillicothe, Missouri normally 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 give testimony that's beneficial to one side or the other.
Remember, when you give a deposition in Chillicothe, Missouri, 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 Chillicothe, Missouri Lawyer Help?
If you are directly immersed in a lawsuit in Chillicothe, Missouri, 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 you are not directly immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Chillicothe, Missouri. You probably 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.