Litigation Lawyers in Raton

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

Discovery, in Raton, New Mexico 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.

One way to get this information in Raton, New Mexico is to simply sit down with someone involved in the dispute, or with knowledge of some of the issues, and ask them questions. This can be done through a civil deposition, which is basically a Q&A session between a lawyer, and the person being deposed. A lawyer for the other side will also be present. The person being deposed is answering their questions under oath, just as if they were testifying in court. Because of this, it's important to get their statements on the record. For that purpose, a court reporter or videographer will be present.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Raton, New Mexico

Depositions in Raton, New Mexico are meant to get verbal testimony on the record and into evidence, when there is concern that the individual being deposed might be unable to show up and testify at trial, or their testimony will take far too long for them to testify at trial.

Civil Depositions in Raton, New Mexico can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Raton, New Mexico, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

Thus, Raton, New Mexico's civil procedure rules authorize 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.

If you are being deposed in Raton, New Mexico 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 Raton, New Mexico Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost definitely already have a Raton, New Mexico 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 immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Raton, New Mexico. 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.