Litigation Lawyers in Hillsborough

Civil depositions happen during civil litigation in Hillsborough, North Carolina. They are part of the discovery procedure.

"Discovery" is a procedure that happens before a trial in Hillsborough, North Carolina. During the discovery process, both sides are obligated to make relevant information available to each other.

In Hillsborough, North Carolina, one way to get relevant evidence is to ask individuals involved in the dispute (both parties and witnesses) about their knowledge of the matter. This is done through a civil deposition. It is essentially a question and answer session between a lawyer, and a witness or party to the action. A lawyer for the other side is present, as well as a court reporter or videographer. The lawyer asks questions of the person being deposed, who must answer them under oath.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Hillsborough, North Carolina

Depositions in Hillsborough, North Carolina serve a very significant purpose: obtaining 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, possible incarceration, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Hillsborough, North Carolina, can take a very long time to be completed, normally lasting several days, and occasionally going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in Hillsborough, North Carolina should be ready for some considerable inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Hillsborough, North Carolina 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 provide testimony that's beneficial to one side or the other.

If you are being deposed in Hillsborough, North Carolina you absolutely must answer all the questions truthfully and completely, to the best of your knowledge. You are under oath, and if you lie, and are caught, you could be prosecuted with perjury, which can carry jail time.

How Can A Hillsborough, North Carolina 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 Hillsborough, North Carolina 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 immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Hillsborough, North Carolina. 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.