Litigation Lawyers in Tecumseh

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Tecumseh, Oklahoma civil litigation.

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

In Tecumseh, Oklahoma, one way to get this information is to find the people involved in the dispute (whether they're witnesses or parties), and ask them questions about the issues you believe them to have knowledge of. A civil deposition is normally a pretty simple process: the person being deposed is sworn in (they are under oath, just as if they were in a courtroom). Because the whole point of a deposition is to get testimony on the record, a stenographer or video technician will also be present, recording the whole deposition. The lawyer then asks questions of the witness, and the lawyers for the other side are able to object to particular lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Tecumseh, Oklahoma

In Tecumseh, Oklahoma, the main reason to conduct a deposition, as opposed to having someone testify in court, is to save time. After days of depositions, the jury can be presented with just the relevant testimony, if the case goes to trial. Furthermore, it's a good idea to conduct a deposition if there's any reason to believe that the witness will not be able to show up to court to testify, due to poor health, or any other reason.

Civil Depositions in Tecumseh, Oklahoma can sometimes go on for days, and occasionally even weeks. If you are required to appear for a deposition in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, it can prove to be a considerable inconvenience.

Therefore, Tecumseh, Oklahoma's civil procedure rules authorize a person to be compensated for the time and money they spend in appearing at a deposition. If the witness lives far away from the location of the deposition, as is sometimes the case in large trials, they can be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses, and compensated for their time. However, this money cannot be used to influence HOW they testify, just to mitigate the inconvenience associated with testifying.

If you are called to a deposition in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, it's absolutely necessary 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 Tecumseh, Oklahoma 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 Tecumseh, Oklahoma 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'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 Tecumseh, Oklahoma 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.