Litigation Lawyers in West Plains

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

In West Plains, 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 get this information in West Plains, 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. Typically, 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 West Plains, Missouri

In West Plains, Missouri, the main reason to conduct a deposition, as opposed to having someone testify in court, is to save time. After days of depositions, the jury can be presented with just the relevant testimony, if the case goes to trial. Additionally, it's a good idea to conduct a deposition if there's any reason to believe that the witness will not be able to show up to court to testify, due to poor health, or any other reason.

West Plains, Missouri 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 West Plains, Missouri civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To mitigate this, the law of West Plains, Missouri 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 give testimony that's advantageous to one side or the other.

Remember, when you give a deposition in West Plains, 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 West Plains, Missouri Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in West Plains, 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, on the other hand, you're not directly engaged in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in West Plains, Missouri, 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.