Litigation Lawyers in Radnor

Depositions are part of the discovery procedure in Radnor, Pennsylvania civil litigation.

"Discovery" is a procedure that happens before a trial in Radnor, Pennsylvania. During the discovery process, both sides are obligated to make relevant information available to each other.

In Radnor, Pennsylvania, one way to receive 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 Radnor, Pennsylvania

If the parties believe that a witness in Radnor, Pennsylvania 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.

It should not be any shock, then, that civil depositions in Radnor, Pennsylvania can go on for a very long time. If you are contacted to appear in a deposition in Radnor, Pennsylvania, this can be a major headache.

To mitigate this, the law of Radnor, Pennsylvania 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 Radnor, Pennsylvania, 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 Radnor, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Radnor, Pennsylvania, and have to appear at a deposition, you should already be represented by a lawyer. It goes without saying that you should do whatever they advise you to do throughout the deposition.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Radnor, Pennsylvania, 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.