Litigation Lawyers in Belton
Depositions are part of the discovery process in Belton, South Carolina civil litigation.
"Discovery" is a process that occurs before a trial in Belton, South Carolina. During the discovery process, both sides are required to make relevant information available to each other.
One of the most effective ways to acquire information relevant to a lawsuit in Belton, South Carolina is to conduct a deposition of a party who you believe to be privy to that information. A deposition is a Q&A session between an attorney representing one of the parties to a lawsuit, and someone who has knowledge relevant to the lawsuit. This can be one of the parties, or a witness. The person being deposed is sworn in, and must answer all of the questions presented to them under oath. An attorney representing the other side can object to lines of questioning, on every grounds that would be valid during in-court testimony. The purpose of this is primarily to get the objection on the record, but if it proves to be a major sticking point, a judge can rule on the objections later. If any questions are found to be invalid, the questions, and their answers, will not be shown to the jury during trial. This is much more effective than simply instructing the jury to disregard a question and answer they've already heard.
Conducting A Civil Deposition in Belton, South Carolina
If the parties believe that a witness in Belton, South Carolina 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.
So, it shouldn't be shocking that civil depositions in Belton, South Carolina can usually go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , South Carolina, you are usually obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.
To help deal with this fact, Belton, South Carolina allows witnesses who are being deposed to be compensated for their time. They can be reimbursed for lodging, travel expenses, and given a small amount of money for their time. Remember, however, that this money is most definitely NOT conditioned on the witness giving testimony that's favorable to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.
When giving a deposition in Belton, South Carolina, 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 begins, 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 Belton, South Carolina Lawyer Help?
If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , South Carolina attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.
If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Belton, South Carolina, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.