Litigation Lawyers in Manassas

Civil depositions occur during Manassas, Virginia civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

In Manassas, Virginia, "discovery" is a process that occurs before a civil trial, during which both sides are required to disclose relevant evidence to the other.

One way to get this information in Manassas, Virginia 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 Manassas, Virginia

Depositions are normally conducted in Manassas, Virginia if a person's testimony will take several days, or more, to deliver. By doing this before a trial, the jury can be presented just with the testimony that turns out to be relevant, saving everybody a good deal of time. It is also useful if there is any reason to suspect that the witness will be unable to show up in court.

Manassas, Virginia 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 Manassas, Virginia civil deposition, this could prove to be incredibly inconvenient.

To help deal with this fact, Manassas, Virginia 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 beneficial to one side, and omitting information that's unfavorable. This would be bribery, and it is highly illegal.

If you are called to a deposition in Manassas, Virginia, it's absolutely necessary 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 Manassas, Virginia Lawyer Help?

If you are the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit, you almost certainly already have a Manassas, Virginia 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 Manassas, Virginia. 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.