Litigation Lawyers in Broken Bow

Depositions are part of the discovery procedure in Broken Bow, Oklahoma civil litigation.

In Broken Bow, Oklahoma, "discovery" is a procedure that happens before a civil trial, during which both sides are obligated to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

One way to obtain this information in Broken Bow, Oklahoma 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 Broken Bow, Oklahoma

If the parties believe that a witness in Broken Bow, Oklahoma won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, bad health, upcoming military deployment, possible incarceration, or any other reason, a deposition is a very good way to get their testimony on the record before the trial. Also, if they have to be questioned for several days, it is a good way to save the court's time.

Civil Depositions in Broken Bow, Oklahoma can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are obligated to appear for a deposition in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, it can prove to be a significant inconvenience.

To mitigate this, the law of Broken Bow, Oklahoma usually 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 provide testimony that's favorable to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, be sure to answer all of the questions honestly, and to the absolute best of your knowledge. You will be sworn in before the deposition starts, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. So, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Broken Bow, Oklahoma Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to a Broken Bow, Oklahoma lawsuit and are obligated to appear at a deposition, one would hope that you've already retained a lawyer by this stage in the proceedings. Your attorney will have a lot of advice for you, which you should of course follow.

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