Litigation Lawyers in Astoria

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Astoria, Oregon civil litigation.

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

In Astoria, Oregon, 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 usually 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 certain lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Astoria, Oregon

If the parties believe that a witness in Astoria, Oregon won't be able to show up in court to testify during trial, because of age, poor health, upcoming military deployment, potential 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.

It should not be any surprise, then, that civil depositions in Astoria, Oregon can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in Astoria, Oregon, this can be a major headache.

To mitigate this, the law of Astoria, Oregon 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 give testimony that's favorable to one side or the other.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Astoria, Oregon, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute obligation to tell the truth. If you deliberately lie while under oath, you are committing perjury. Perjury is a serious crime, and can be punished by fines and imprisonment.

How Can A Astoria, Oregon Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to an Astoria, Oregon lawsuit and are required 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 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 an Astoria, Oregon 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.