Litigation Lawyers in Rochester

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Rochester, Pennsylvania civil litigation.

"Discovery" is a process that occurs before a trial in Rochester, Pennsylvania. During the discovery process, both sides are required to make relevant information available to each other.

In Rochester, Pennsylvania, one way to acquire 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 Rochester, Pennsylvania

If the parties believe that a witness in Rochester, Pennsylvania 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. Furthermore, if they have to be questioned for several days, it is a good way to save the court's time.

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

To mitigate this, the law of Rochester, Pennsylvania normally 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 beneficial to one side or the other.

If you are being deposed in Rochester, Pennsylvania 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 Rochester, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Rochester, Pennsylvania lawyer. If either party to the lawsuit calls you for a deposition, your lawyer will have plenty of advice for you. You should, of course, follow that advice to the letter.

If you are not directly immersed in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Rochester, Pennsylvania. 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.