Litigation Lawyers in Grafton

Civil depositions occur during civil litigation in Grafton, Ohio. They are part of the discovery process.

The discovery process in Grafton, Ohio 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 get this information in Grafton, Ohio is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Normally, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Grafton, Ohio

Depositions in Grafton, Ohio are meant to get verbal testimony on the record and into evidence, when there is concern that the person 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.

Grafton, Ohio civil depositions can go on for a long time - occasionally going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to give your testimony in a Grafton, Ohio civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help deal with this fact, Grafton, Ohio 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 beneficial to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

In Grafton, Ohio 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 very steep fines.

How Can A Grafton, Ohio Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , Ohio attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Grafton, Ohio, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.