Litigation Lawyers in Booneville

Civil depositions happen during civil litigation in Booneville, Mississippi. They are part of the discovery procedure.

In Booneville, Mississippi, "discovery" is a procedure that happens before a civil trial, during which both sides are obligated to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

One way to receive this information in Booneville, Mississippi 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. Usually, 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 Booneville, Mississippi

In Booneville, Mississippi, 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. Also, 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 bad health, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Booneville, Mississippi can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Booneville, Mississippi, it can prove to be a significant inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Booneville, Mississippi usually 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 favorable to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in Booneville, Mississippi, 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. So, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Booneville, Mississippi Lawyer Help?

If you are the defendant or plaintiff in a lawsuit, chances are good that you'll have to appear in a deposition. You should, by this time, already be represented by a Booneville, Mississippi civil litigation attorney. You should do whatever they tell you to do (unless, of course, they tell you to lie, in that case you should find a new lawyer).

If you are not directly involved in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Booneville, Mississippi. 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.