Litigation Lawyers in Mill Creek

Civil depositions occur during Mill Creek, Washington civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

In Mill Creek, Washington, "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 acquire this information in Mill Creek, Washington is to conduct a deposition. A deposition, at its core, is a fairly simple process. A deposition is a question and answer session conducted outside the courtroom. Usually, it takes place in the office space of an attorney representing one of the parties. There are a few people who are almost always present at the deposition: there's the person being deposed, the lawyer who is going to be asking the questions, a lawyer representing the other side of the lawsuit, who can object to any questions being asked (a judge can rule on the objections later), and a court reporter or video recorder, to ensure that the testimony ends up on the record.

Conducting A Civil Deposition in Mill Creek, Washington

Depositions in Mill Creek, Washington serve a very important purpose: acquiring testimony on the record, and admitted as evidence, when there is some reason to suspect that the witness won't be able to appear in court during trial, because of health, potential incarceration, or any other reason.

So, it shouldn't be shocking that civil depositions in Mill Creek, Washington can usually go on for several days. If you are subpoenaed for a deposition in , Washington, you are usually obligated to appear. This can be a source of some inconvenience.

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Mill Creek, Washington 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.

When giving a deposition in Mill Creek, Washington, 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 Mill Creek, Washington Lawyer Help?

If you are a party to a lawsuit, and are called to a deposition, chances are you're already represented by a , Washington attorney. Obviously, you should follow their advice with respect to the deposition.

If you're not a party to the case, but have relevant information, you might be subpoenaed to appear in a deposition. In this case, you probably don't need to hire a Mill Creek, Washington litigation attorney, but it would not be a bad idea to seek out a brief consultation with one, to get an idea of what to expect.