Litigation Lawyers in Briarcliff Manor

Civil depositions occur during civil litigation in Briarcliff Manor, New York. They are part of the discovery process.

Discovery, in Briarcliff Manor, New York is a very crucial 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 obtain this information in Briarcliff Manor, New York 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 Briarcliff Manor, New York

Depositions are usually conducted in Briarcliff Manor, New York if a person's testimony will take several days, or more, to deliver. By doing this before a trial, the jury can be presented just with the testimony that turns out to be relevant, saving everybody a good deal of time. It is also useful if there is any reason to suspect that the witness will be unable to show up in court.

Civil Depositions in Briarcliff Manor, New York, can take a very long time to be completed, usually lasting several days, and sometimes going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in Briarcliff Manor, New York should be prepared for some significant inconvenience.

To help deal with this fact, Briarcliff Manor, New York allows witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's favorable to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

If you are called to a deposition in Briarcliff Manor, New York, it's absolutely essential 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 Briarcliff Manor, New York Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Briarcliff Manor, New York 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 the case, but have relevant information, you might be subpoenaed to appear in a deposition. In this case, you probably don't need to hire a Briarcliff Manor, New York litigation attorney, but it would not be a bad idea to seek out a brief consultation with one, to get an idea of what to expect.