Litigation Lawyers in Perryville

Civil depositions occur during civil litigation in Perryville, Missouri. They are part of the discovery process.

In Perryville, Missouri, "discovery" is a process that occurs before a civil trial, during which both sides are required to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

One way to obtain this information in Perryville, Missouri is to simply sit down with someone involved in the dispute, or with knowledge of some of the issues, and ask them questions. This can be done through a civil deposition, which is basically a Q&A session between a lawyer, and the person being deposed. A lawyer for the other side will also be present. The person being deposed is answering their questions under oath, just as if they were testifying in court. Because of this, it's important to get their statements on the record. For that purpose, a court reporter or videographer will be present.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Perryville, Missouri

Depositions are usually conducted in Perryville, Missouri 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.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that civil depositions in Perryville, Missouri can often go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , Missouri, you are usually obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

Because of this fact, the law in Perryville, Missouri 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.

In Perryville, Missouri depositions, everyone being deposed is under oath. This means that you are legally and morally obligated to answer every question truthfully. If you deliberately misrepresent your knowledge (lie), you are guilty of perjury. And if you're caught, you could end up facing jail time and/or some very steep fines.

How Can A Perryville, Missouri Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Perryville, 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 a party to the case, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least consult with a Perryville, Missouri attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.