Litigation Lawyers in Mckenzie

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Mckenzie, Tennessee civil litigation.

In Mckenzie, Tennessee, "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.

One way to acquire this information in Mckenzie, Tennessee is to simply sit down with someone involved in the dispute, or with knowledge of some of the issues, and ask them questions. This can be done through a civil deposition, which is basically a Q&A session between a lawyer, and the person being deposed. A lawyer for the other side will also be present. The person being deposed is answering their questions under oath, just as if they were testifying in court. Because of this, it's important to get their statements on the record. For that purpose, a court reporter or videographer will be present.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Mckenzie, Tennessee

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

Mckenzie, Tennessee 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 Mckenzie, Tennessee civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Mckenzie, Tennessee permits 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 called to a deposition in Mckenzie, Tennessee, it's absolutely imperative that you answer all the questions truthfully, to the best of your knowledge. When testifying in a deposition, you are under oath, just as you would be in open court. Deliberately lying in a deposition is perjury, which is a serious crime.

How Can A Mckenzie, Tennessee Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Mckenzie, Tennessee, 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 during the deposition.

If, on the other hand, you're not directly engaged in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Mckenzie, Tennessee, 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.