Litigation Lawyers in South Euclid

Depositions are part of the discovery process in South Euclid, Ohio civil litigation.

In South Euclid, Ohio, "discovery" is a process that occurs before a civil trial, during which both sides are required to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

One way to acquire this information in South Euclid, Ohio 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 South Euclid, Ohio

Depositions in South Euclid, Ohio 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.

Civil Depositions in South Euclid, Ohio, can take a very long time to be completed, typically lasting several days, and sometimes going on for weeks. So, people who are called to give depositions in South Euclid, Ohio should be prepared for some substantial inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of South Euclid, Ohio typically entitles people being deposed to reimbursement. They can be compensated for travel expenses, lodging, and a can be given a small amount of money simply for their time. However, this is meant to be reimbursement for the time and expense incurred in attending a deposition, and it is most definitely not payment for the witness to give testimony that's advantageous to one side or the other.

If you are being deposed in South Euclid, Ohio 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 South Euclid, Ohio Lawyer Help?

If you are the defendant or plaintiff in a lawsuit, chances are good that you'll have to appear in a deposition. You should, by this point, already be represented by a South Euclid, Ohio civil litigation attorney. You should do whatever they tell you to do (unless, of course, they tell you to lie, in which case you should find a new lawyer).

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 South Euclid, Ohio. 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.