Litigation Lawyers in Morris Plains

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

Discovery, in Morris Plains, New Jersey is a very essential 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 Morris Plains, New Jersey, one way to obtain relevant evidence is to ask people 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 Morris Plains, New Jersey

Depositions in Morris Plains, New Jersey serve a very significant purpose: receiving 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.

It should not be any shock, then, that civil depositions in Morris Plains, New Jersey can go on for a very long time. If you are contacted to appear in a deposition in Morris Plains, New Jersey, this can be a major headache.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Morris Plains, New Jersey allows 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.

In Morris Plains, New Jersey 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 Morris Plains, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Morris Plains, New Jersey, 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, on the other hand, you're not directly involved in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Morris Plains, New Jersey, you may not need to hire a lawyer. The lawyers for both sides will probably prep you for the deposition, giving you an idea of what to expect.