Litigation Lawyers in Colchester

Civil depositions occur during Colchester, Vermont civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

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

In Colchester, Vermont, one way to get this information is to find the people involved in the dispute (whether they're witnesses or parties), and ask them questions about the issues you believe them to have knowledge of. A civil deposition is usually a pretty simple process: the person being deposed is sworn in (they are under oath, just as if they were in a courtroom). Because the whole point of a deposition is to get testimony on the record, a stenographer or video technician will also be present, recording the whole deposition. The lawyer then asks questions of the witness, and the lawyers for the other side are able to object to certain lines of questioning, if they wish.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Colchester, Vermont

If the parties believe that a witness in Colchester, Vermont 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.

It should not be any surprise, then, that civil depositions in Colchester, Vermont can go on for a very long time. If you are called to appear in a deposition in Colchester, Vermont, this can be a major headache.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Colchester, Vermont 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 called to a deposition in Colchester, Vermont, it's absolutely essential 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 Colchester, Vermont Lawyer Help?

If you are directly involved in a lawsuit in Colchester, Vermont, 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 directly involved in the lawsuit, you might still have to appear at a deposition, if you have information that's relevant to the case in Colchester, Vermont. 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.