Litigation Lawyers in Fort Stockton

Depositions are part of the discovery process in Fort Stockton, Texas civil litigation.

The discovery process in Fort Stockton, Texas is one of the most important parts of the civil litigation process. During the discovery phase, each side of the lawsuit is required to make all of the relevant information it has in its possession available to the other side.

In Fort Stockton, Texas, one way to acquire relevant evidence is to ask persons 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 Fort Stockton, Texas

In Fort Stockton, Texas, 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. Additionally, 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.

Fort Stockton, Texas 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 Fort Stockton, Texas civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To mitigate this, the law of Fort Stockton, Texas typically 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 advantageous to one side or the other.

Remember, when you give a deposition in Fort Stockton, Texas, you're under oath. This means that you are under an absolute obligation to tell the truth. If you deliberately lie while under oath, you are committing perjury. Perjury is a serious crime, and can be punished by fines and imprisonment.

How Can A Fort Stockton, Texas Lawyer Help?

If you are directly engaged in a lawsuit in Fort Stockton, Texas, 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 you are not a party to the case, but are subpoenaed to testify in a deposition, you should at least consult with a Fort Stockton, Texas attorney, who can advise you on how to proceed.