Litigation Lawyers in Lincolnton

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

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

In Lincolnton, 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 Lincolnton, North Carolina

Depositions in Lincolnton, 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 Lincolnton, North Carolina can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Lincolnton, North Carolina, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Lincolnton, 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.

In Lincolnton, North Carolina 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 extremely steep fines.

How Can A Lincolnton, North Carolina Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Lincolnton, North Carolina lawyer. If either party to the lawsuit calls you for a deposition, your lawyer will have plenty of advice for you. You should, of course, follow that advice to the letter.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Lincolnton, North Carolina, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be contacted to appear in a deposition. In that case, you likely don't need to hire a lawyer.