Litigation Lawyers in Westbury

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

The discovery process in Westbury, New York is one of the most important parts of the civil litigation process. During the discovery phase, each side of the lawsuit is required to make all of the relevant information it has in its possession available to the other side.

One way to acquire this information in Westbury, 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 Westbury, New York

Depositions in Westbury, New York serve a very important purpose: getting 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, potential incarceration, or any other reason.

So, it shouldn't be surprising that civil depositions in Westbury, New York can often go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , New York, you are typically obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Westbury, New York permits 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 serious problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

If you are being deposed in Westbury, New York 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 charged with perjury, which can carry jail time.

How Can A Westbury, New York Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Westbury, 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 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 Westbury, New York. You probably 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.