Litigation Lawyers in Columbus

Civil depositions occur during Columbus, Wisconsin civil litigation, as part of the discovery process.

"Discovery" is a process that occurs before a trial in Columbus, Wisconsin. During the discovery process, both sides are required to make relevant information available to each other.

In Columbus, Wisconsin, one way to get relevant evidence is to ask individuals 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 Columbus, Wisconsin

Depositions in Columbus, Wisconsin 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.

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

To help mitigate this inconvenience, Columbus, Wisconsin authorizes 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.

In Columbus, Wisconsin depositions, everyone being deposed is under oath. This means that you are legally and morally obligated to answer every question truthfully. If you deliberately misrepresent your knowledge (lie), you are guilty of perjury. And if you're caught, you could end up facing jail time and/or some very steep fines.

How Can A Columbus, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are directly immersed in a lawsuit in Columbus, Wisconsin, 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, on the other hand, you're not directly immersed in the case, but have been subpoenaed to appear in a deposition as a witness in Columbus, Wisconsin, you may not need to hire a lawyer. The lawyers for both sides will probably prep you for the deposition, giving you an idea of what to expect.