Litigation Lawyers in Dumont

Civil depositions happen during civil litigation in Dumont, New Jersey. They are part of the discovery procedure.

Discovery, in Dumont, New Jersey is a very critical step in the civil litigation process. It is when all of the relevant evidence is gathered by both sides, and, generally, each side must disclose that evidence to the other.

In Dumont, New Jersey, one way to acquire relevant evidence is to ask persons 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 Dumont, New Jersey

In Dumont, New Jersey, 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 bad health, or any other reason.

Dumont, New Jersey civil depositions can go on for a long time - sometimes going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to provide your testimony in a Dumont, New Jersey civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

Thus, Dumont, New Jersey's civil procedure rules permit a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is occasionally the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience linked with testifying.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Dumont, New Jersey, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute requirement 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 Dumont, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Dumont, New Jersey 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 are not directly engaged in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Dumont, New Jersey. 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.