Litigation Lawyers in Mount Olive

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

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

In Mount Olive, 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 Mount Olive, North Carolina

If the parties believe that a witness in Mount Olive, North Carolina won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, bad health, upcoming military deployment, possible incarceration, or any other reason, a deposition is a very good way to get their testimony on the record before the trial. Furthermore, if they have to be questioned for several days, it is a good way to save the court's time.

It should not be any shock, then, that civil depositions in Mount Olive, North Carolina can go on for a very long time. If you are contacted to appear in a deposition in Mount Olive, North Carolina, this can be a massive headache.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Mount Olive, North Carolina authorizes witnesses who are appearing in depositions to be paid a set amount of money for their time, and reimbursed for travel expenses. However, if there is any evidence that this money is being used to influence a witness' testimony, there is going to be a significant problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

If you are called to a deposition in Mount Olive, North Carolina, it's absolutely necessary that you answer all the questions truthfully, to the best of your knowledge. When testifying in a deposition, you are under oath, just as you would be in open court. Deliberately lying in a deposition is perjury, which is a serious crime.

How Can A Mount Olive, North Carolina Lawyer Help?

If you are directly immersed in a lawsuit in Mount Olive, North Carolina, 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 throughout the deposition.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Mount Olive, 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.