Litigation Lawyers in Randolph

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

In Randolph, 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 Randolph, 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 Randolph, Vermont

Depositions are usually conducted in Randolph, Vermont 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.

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

To mitigate this, the law of Randolph, Vermont usually 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 favorable to one side or the other.

When giving a deposition in Randolph, Vermont, be sure to answer all of the questions honestly, and to the absolute best of your knowledge. You will be sworn in before the deposition begins, and you will be under oath, just as if you were in open court. So, if you lie, you are committing perjury, which can land you in jail.

How Can A Randolph, Vermont Lawyer Help?

If you're a party to a Randolph, Vermont lawsuit and are required to appear at a deposition, one would hope that you've already retained a lawyer by this stage in the proceedings. Your attorney will have a lot of advice for you, which you should of course follow.

If you're not a party to a lawsuit in Randolph, Vermont, but have knowledge about some of the facts that are at issue in a pending case, you might still be called to appear in a deposition. In that case, you probably don't need to hire a lawyer.