Litigation Lawyers in Moncks Corner

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Moncks Corner, South Carolina civil litigation.

In Moncks Corner, South Carolina, "discovery" is a time-consuming procedure that occurs before a case goes to trial. In the process, each side of the lawsuit is legally required to disclose all of the relevant information they have in their possession to the other side.

In Moncks Corner, South Carolina, one way to obtain relevant evidence is to ask people involved in the dispute (both parties and witnesses) about their knowledge of the matter. This is done through a civil deposition. It is essentially a question and answer session between a lawyer, and a witness or party to the action. A lawyer for the other side is present, as well as a court reporter or videographer. The lawyer asks questions of the person being deposed, who must answer them under oath.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Moncks Corner, South Carolina

In Moncks Corner, South Carolina, 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. Also, 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.

Moncks Corner, South Carolina civil depositions can go on for a long time - occasionally going for a week or more. If you get subpoenaed to give your testimony in a Moncks Corner, South Carolina civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Moncks Corner, South Carolina allows witnesses who are appearing in depositions to be paid a set amount of money for their time, and reimbursed for travel expenses. However, if there is any evidence that this money is being used to influence a witness' testimony, there is going to be a serious problem: this would amount bribery, and it is a serious offense.

If you are being deposed in Moncks Corner, South Carolina 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 Moncks Corner, 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, on the other hand, you're not directly involved in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, you may not need to hire a lawyer. The lawyers for both sides will probably prep you for the deposition, giving you an idea of what to expect.